Shards of the Pandora Jar
by SadisticWoof
Summary: 18. "How many times have I died for you, yet you still question my loyalty?" Percy spat at her, his eyes flashing dangerously, "You know I would never think to betray you! You were once so wise. Oh how the mighty have fallen." - A collection of oneshots and drabbles, all placed here. Some fluffy, some angsty. I don't own anything.
1. Of Worlds and Meetings

**Of Worlds and Meetings**

In a world where there was only one sun and countless moons, a young boy about seven years old turned to the pretty girl next to him. She wasn't as pretty as his mum, but he had to admit that she was cute. So with an innocent grin that only a child could manage, he excitedly said, " Hi! My name is Percy. Want to be my friend?"

The girl in question jumped slightly in her seat, her blonde ponytail swaying at the sudden movement. She studied him for a few moments before a tentative smile made its way onto her face. "M-My name is A-Annabeth."

Percy beamed and leaned closer to his new friend. "Can we be best friends?"

She let out a soft giggle at his enthusiasm and nodded, "Best friends."

* * *

In a world condemned to eternity to rain, a university student sat in a comfortable chair in the cosy café. There he was, innocently sipping his warm (no longer hot) coffee and typing away at his thesis when he decided to let his eyes wonder around the shop.

Next to him, there was a couple, whispering some sort of love poem while feeding each other pieces of chocolate cake. Percy tried not to shiver at the creepy sight and turned his attention to the other side, when his eyes fell onto the lone woman sitting in the corner. He had to rub his eyes to make sure that it wasn't some kind of hallucination from staring at a bright screen all day.

He felt himself blush at the sight of her. She was pretty, like a model. He couldn't lie about that. Her blonde hair tumbled down her back while she leaned on her arms as she read the thickest book that Percy had ever seen.

He shook his head and forced himself to tear his gaze from her and focus on his work. But he knew it was a lost cause since all he could think about was the beautiful girl who sat three seats away from him. He groaned loudly and his head fell into his hands. Behind him, the rain continued to pour.

* * *

Dimensions away, a world was in flames. With raging fires destroying the buildings and the thick, black smoke blanketing the sky, one could barely notice the agonised screams of the dying people. Amongst the debris, a man with rugged hair crawled towards the sprawled figure, who was dressed in different colours. He clutched at his chest, where blood was slowly seeping from, and collapsed next to the woman.

Her blonde hair was soaked in a sickening red colour, and her pale face was smeared in grime. Her gray eyes flickered open and she gave him a half-hearted glare.

"I hate you…" she croaked. Her breath caught in her throat, as her insides threatened to make an appearance.

He gave her a humourless laugh, "I know." But even as he said so, he reached out and brought her closer to him. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes closed and she let out a shuddering sigh, her head in his shoulder, "Don't be."

The pair knew that neither of them would live to see the sunrise tomorrow. But somehow, they felt content.

* * *

Meanwhile in a different timeline, the magnificent ship, _Argo II,_ sailed through the dark and dangerous waters. Nobody on the ship wanted to think about the legends and myths about the churning waters they were currently navigating. But down below the creaking floorboards, the Captain peered in through the bars of the prison cell. A young woman glared back, her frail hands gripping at the cold iron bars.

"You have to let me go." She begged, her voice shook as tears threatened to fall from those gray eyes. "I want to go back to my family."

The captain sighed and lowered his head to avoid her piercing gaze, "I cannot do that, ma'am. I'm afraid that it is impossible." His long fingers brushed locks of black hair from his face and gave an apologetic smile, "But I can see what can be done." With that, he turned and strode off with a slight limp. He bit the inside of his cheek as the desperate pleas from the girl turned to screaming and crying.

* * *

In a world where the sky seemed to be permanently painted in gray and black, and the city was covered in dark, twisting streets, a young woman was roughly pulled from around the corner. Before she could cry out for help, a hand quickly covered her mouth. She struggled in the hold, kicking wildly.

"Quiet! They might hear you!" the man hissed in her ear. She fought harder. Her yells came out muffled. "Please be quiet! They were stalking you."

It was that last sentence which caught her attention. She froze and attempted to turn her head to face him. When he noticed that she had stopped moving, he slowly removed his hand.

"What?" She shot at him quietly. He ignored her and stuck his head around the corner, searching for something.

"You were being followed. By _them_." He emphasised. Her heart skipped a beat and stepped slightly closer to the stranger. "No one should be out at this time of night, love." He murmured.

"Oh gods… I could have died tonight…" She breathed.

"Is it all right if I walk you home?" he asked.

She glared at him, but she knew he was right. It was unsafe for anyone to be by themselves. She hated to admit that she would rather be in his company than walk alone. "Fine." She muttered, "But don't even think about touching me."

A breathy laugh escaped his chapped lips and he brought his hands up in surrender, "I wasn't planning on it. My name is Percy, by the way."

They made their way down the narrow street, sticking close together, and staying well away from the shadows.

* * *

In another dimension, Annabeth hid in the darkness, her eyes trained on her target. The target could not have been much older than her, but orders were orders. If only he hadn't seen it. If only he hadn't been there to witness it. But he had seen it. And he had to be eliminated. With a heavy heart, she raised her rifle and rested her finger on the trigger.

The boy had thrown his head back in laughter, most likely at a joke that was said by his mother. But unfortunately for him, that was the last thing he was ever going to do.

Her finger pulled the trigger and she closed her eyes. She didn't need to look to know that she had hit her target. The anguished screams from the mother was enough to know that the boy was dead.

* * *

Galaxies away, where bright stars were the only thing that one saw in the sky, an 18 year-old Annabeth danced. Her golden hair fell out from the elaborate bun, spilling over her shoulder and down her back. Her arms, adorned in silver bracelets, were held above her, fingers reaching for the pale moon in the sky.

A lone drum sounded and her left foot moved forward, each movement precise and calculated. She twirled, her silk pants flaring, the slit in the side exposing the skin. She stepped backwards, her arms shaking slightly. Another step backwards and then three to the side. She moved with such elegance, that everyone watching was silent, too scared to disturb the dancer. The drummer tapped faster. Not too fast but the audience could feel the energy grow. She spun and jumped and kicked and arched backwards, never seeming to lose confidence or spirit.

With a final leap into the air, she collapsed to the ground, her red scarf floating down besides her. Her audience clapped, a few shouts of approval. A few moments later, she gracefully stood up and bowed. As she looked up again, she caught sight of a man leaning against a pole with an impressed expression. He flashed her a smile, and for some reason, she felt her cheeks heat up. The man with the black hair and green eyes laughed softly and looked away. Annabeth fought off a smile as she walked off, draping the silk over her shoulders.

* * *

In a land where hot red sand was all that one could see, a teenage boy trudged up the steps to the villa. His bare feet, so used to the rough grounds, did not complain as he climbed the scorching staircase.

Percy wiped the remains of his tears, having already bid farewell to his mother, and reached the top. He marvelled at the beautiful marble structure, every slab decorated intricately. The white marble floor was so clean, so pure, and it made him self-conscious, just by standing on it. He could see a distorted reflection of himself, standing there with wild black hair, a rough cotton shirt with dark pants and an unreadable expression on his face.

His thoughts were interrupted when someone crashed into his side, causing him to almost lose balance. However, previous experiences had allowed him to quickly regain balance and catch the falling figure.

"Oh my gods. I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going! I'm so sorry!" she apologised, bowing quickly.

"Hey it's fine." He murmured. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and her head jerked upwards. For a moment, he was taken aback at the beauty she possessed. Her blonde hair was tied back with a scarf and her wide gray eyes darted back and forth, trying to figure out who he was.

"Um, I'm new here… do you think you can show me to the master?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. She blushed and nodded, muttering out another apology.

As Percy followed the blonde headed girl, he realised that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Just maybe, he could live his destined life as a slave, with that girl around. For the first time that day, he put on a small smile.

* * *

In a small world where the stars fell from the sky in a shower of gold dust, a well known thief pouted in the chair. She sat on the small armchair with her arms crossed, glaring dejectedly at the officer in front of her.

"This is all your fault." Officer Jackson groaned. His tone indicated that this was the last place he wanted to be. He pounded his head repeatedly against the metal door, which happened to be the sole reason as to why they were in this predicament.

"No it was yours. You forgot to leave the door open. Not my fault you let it lock behind you." She said with a huff, "We just have to wait for the men to come and find us, and then we can get out." She toyed with the priceless diamond in her gloved hands while she observed the tired man.

"You know they'll catch you one day." He murmured after a while. He had stopped damaging his head and turned around. He leaned against the door and raised an eyebrow at the infamous thief.

"No they won't. You and I both know that." She answered softly. The mask covered her face and her body was shrouded in the shadows, making her almost invisible in the room. When she flashed him a smile, her white teeth glowed in the moonlight, causing him to shudder. The thief smirked.

* * *

And in a world where the sky was darkening, a sure sign of a storm, a boy who had gone through a traumatic experience stumbled onto the wooden porch in a daze. His friend slumped across his stomach and Percy stared up at the ceiling fans. His head spinning and aching, he felt footsteps thudding closer to where he lay.

Through his blurred vision, he saw a familiar looking bearded man and a pretty girl with blonde hair which curled like a princess. All he heard before his eyes fluttered close was the sound of her sweet voice saying, "He's the one. He must be."

And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Yes.

The beginning.

* * *

 **AN – Hello Everyone. This is just a series of scenarios that popped into my head. I hope you liked it. I also plan to write longer one shots, so please bear with me. Please tell me if you liked this and comment if you would like one of these scenarios made into a full one shot.**

1\. " **New Student** " Scenario

2\. " **Coffee shop meeting** " Scenario

3." **Enemies on the battlefield** " Scenario

4\. " **Pirates** " Scenario

5\. " **Stranger** , **the Saviour** " Scenario

6\. " **Assassin and her Target** " Scenario

7\. " **Dancer** " Scenario

8\. " **Slaves** " Scenario

9\. " **The Thief and the Officer** " Scenario

10 " **The Perfect World** " Scenario


	2. Losing My Mind Because of You

**Trigger Warning - Mentions of panic attacks, so just be careful when you read this.**

* * *

 **Losing My Mind Because of You**

I sit on the bench and close my eyes, letting myself hear the sound of children laughing in the background. I can hear them playing, giggling and yelling. I try to remember the last time I felt happy. It must have been a long time ago, since there's nothing to really reflect on.

The sunlight falls onto my face and I wince, turning my head to block it out. I open my eyes and my hands clamps together on the table. The leaves from the trees rustle in the breeze. The soft whispers echo in my ears. I can't hear the other children now. The wind drowned out all the other sounds. My hands clench together.

Not again. Please. Anything but this. I can't-

I can't do it.

The wind is too loud. Everything is too loud. I have to get away. I have to find it. I was missing something. Something important. I want to get away from them, from all of this. I want-

I want to feel safe again.

Why? What was wrong? Why was I feeling like this? Too loud. Get away. But I can't. I'm frozen in my seat. The rough wooden bench. Hard and uncomfortable. I can't-

I can't breathe. My heart pounds so hard, it feels like it will explode. Hammering in my chest. Echoing in my ears. Faster. Harder. Louder.

I try and move. My breath comes out in short, shallow gasps. I can't do it. I can't breathe. My lungs don't work. Too tight. Too tight. My heart feels like it's being squeezed. Get away. Quickly. Get away.

My arms lurch. Hand knocks the glass over. My breath catches in my throat as it falls to the ground. Falling. Falling. I wish I could fall. Fall and disappear. Just slip away into nothing.

It's loud. The glass shatters. It shatters against the floor, fragments of glass reflecting the sunlight. Like diamonds. The deadly pieces fly upwards, shooting in all direction like comets.

Too much. Too much happening.

Focus. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out. Just breathe. My breathing is harsh. It hurts. Everything hurts.

There's a dull ringing in my head. Slowly taking over my senses. I can't… I can't-

I can't remember.

I can't… _Remember_.

My eyes sting. Those are my eyes, right? Stinging. The pain. They fill with tears. They roll down my cheeks, but I don't care. The tears are warm, yet they make me feel hollow. How is it possible to feel like that?

A girl. Yes a girl. Talking. But her words are just noises. So loud. I don't understand. I can't hear her words. Just buzzing in my head. I want to scream, to yell, to cry. But my voice doesn't work. It betrays me.

What is she saying? My vision is blurring, but I can make out a figure. Someone is standing in front of me. What is she saying? I try to read her lips but everything is spinning. I can see blonde hair. Blonde. The golden colour. The only thing I remember. Blonde was good. Blonde was the colour I liked. It meant home. But I…

I can't remember anything.

I just let my head fall. I let my head fall and my tears fall and my life fall. And I fall. My head hits the table. The sudden impact hurts. It hurts, but the pain clears my mind for a moment.

My fingers trace the grains of wood on the table. I can't stop. I can't give up. I have to _try_.

I barely notice the touch. Someone puts their hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me. I try to respond, but my body shuts down. I stare unblinking. I can see green in the distance. I try to determine if the green was the grassy field or if it were the trees. Who cares. It doesn't matter anyway.

Through the noise I hear her. Above the roar of the wind in my head and the constant buzzing in my mind, I can make out her words. But I can't process them. What was she asking me? If I was okay? What does it mean to feel, _okay_? Because if _okay_ means feeling hopeless and hollow and empty and numb and cold and lonely, then yes, I feel _okay_.

I… want to remember…

I want to feel better.

I want…

I want to be where I belong.

Is it too much to ask? Is it? Tell me. Is it bad, is it wrong for me to want to be where I feel safe and happy? To be where I can be myself?

My fingers curl up and form a fist. The light is too bright. The noise is too loud. Everything hurts.

Get away. Please. Just… I don't know- That was it. I don't know. _I don't know._

What was happening?

I unclench my fingers and slowly drag my arms towards me. My fingers thread themselves into my hair. I clutch at my head. It hurt. Why does my head hurt?

Why.

Why?

I force my body to cooperate. I bite my lower lip in concentration. There's a sharp pain and I can feel blood dripping. I can feel the sticky substance trickling down my chin. I roll over, making myself sit up. I lean heavily against my elbows, with my head hanging between my arms. I stare at the dark wood. If I look carefully, I can see the dents and marks left on the table. But tears cloud my vision and all I can see is just a dark, blurred mess.

My fingers pull at my curly hair. I pull and I pull until I let out a gasp of pain.

And then I scream. I just scream and scream. I just let it out. I can hear my voice echo, mocking me. The voice doesn't sound like mine. It's my voice, but someone else's pain. My voice is just being used to express their suppressed emotions. And I'm crying. Tears are streaming down my face and I'm yelling. I don't understand half the things I'm saying, but I remember screaming out loud that I can't _remember_. My mind is empty. Too empty.

The world becomes gray. Just splashes of black and white. It's eerie. The loud noises stopped, but now it was silent. Too quiet. I can't hear anything now. All I'm aware of is the rapid beating of my heart, thudding in my ears. I can just make out blurred shapes approaching me.

I've stopped screaming. I don't know how long I was screaming for. Time. How long? I'm in a spiral of emptiness. Never ending cycle of darkness.

I can't do this. Not anymore. I can't-

I can't feel.

An emotionless void.

Who am I? Who am I? Who? I exist, right?

Then how come I don't remember anything? I try to search my mind for anything. Nothing. Except.

Except for one word. Just one small word.

 _Annabeth._

Who is she? Who. Is. She. Why is she the only thing I remember? Was she important?

And suddenly, I'm falling again. The world spins. I'm falling. Falling. Falling. Falling all the way down. Perhaps into an abyss. Never ending abyss. But then I feel pain in my back. I stop falling. My hands fall away from my head and land on the ground besides me. The back of my hands recognises the grainy texture. The sharp stones dig into my flesh.

I blink away the dust. I slowly look around with a confused look plastered on my face. How did I get on the ground? I remember… falling. Yes. I fell… off the bench? Then I noticed the feet surrounding me.

My heart lodged in my throat. Too many people. Too many. Too crowded. I can't deal with it.

Somehow, the crowd disappears, much to my relief. My breathing has slowed down. My heart beats becomes steady. I can hear again. It wasn't too loud. I can just make out a female voice talking.

Carefully, I sit up, gazing at the girl in front of me. Blonde hair. Gray eyes. A small frown.

I manage to croak out her name, "Annabeth…" I collapse into her arms. Her arms tighten around me and I cry, tears staining her shirt. I can think now. My mind cleared up slowly.

I don't know how long I stayed in that position. But I felt safe. I can feel myself getting back together, picking up the broken pieces, and trying to fix everything. Mending my mind. Fixing myself from the inside out. Or was it from the outside in? I try.

That's what I've been doing. _Trying_.

What is my name. My name?

Who am I?

I can do it. It's simple. It's a label. Something that determines who you are.

Come on. What is _my name_?

My. Name. Is. Per-

And suddenly, I'm free. I gasp and I cry out in pain. But I can remember everything. Everything that I thought I had lost came back to me. Every lost memory. Every part of my identity. I sob harder into Annabeth's shoulder.

I start murmuring. I start chanting that phrase over and over again. Because I never want to forget. But that wasn't the only reason. The other reason was because I didn't want to be like him. I don't want to end up like him. I know it's selfish but I don't want it to happen to me. I feel terrified and alone when I have those attacks, and I honestly don't know how I would be able to manage if it was something I had to deal with constantly.

 _He_ has to live with constant fear that he will never remember anything. I almost lose my mind when I temporarily lose my memory for a couple of minutes. So I chant over and over.

Because I can't.

Because I don't want to.

I don't want to forget.

 _I am Grover._

I don't want to forget again.

 _My name is Grover._

I can't.

I can't keep doing this. I don't know if I can survive this. But if he can find a way to keep going, then so can I. If he can continue to get on with his life, with no memories, then I can at least try. Because that's all I can do for now. I can only hope and pray that Percy will be safe.

I can hold on for only so long.

 _My name is Grover Underwood and I share an empathy link with Percy Jackson. But it's slowly driving me insane._

 **AN - I honestly don't know where this came from. It was something that was on my mind and it wouldn't go away until I wrote it down. Basically, this is something I imagined might have happened at some point during the time Percy was missing. Just a small idea which created this. Anyway, please tell me if you liked it and leave a prompt or an idea in a review and I'll be sure to write it at some point. Until next time!**


	3. Pick-Pocketing

**Pick-pocketing**

The son of Hermes laughed quietly as he tossed his prize in one hand. He watched fascinated as the sun reflected off the glass and the gold, creating intricate patterns dance across the ground. He finally stopped and slipped the watch back into his pocket. His nimble fingers grasped the leather wallet and brought it out to light.

It was a funny old thing. Black, shiny leather with gold engraved into it. The edges were slightly worn out, but it wasn't noticeable. Inside it was a different matter. There were multiple cards. Three different credit cards and a couple of notes which almost made him drool at the prospect of money. This guy was rich. Travis held back a grin. Whoever he had nicked from was going to be so pissed when they found out he had stolen their wallet _and_ their watch.

"Stroll! What do you think you're doing!" A girl screamed. Travis jerked and almost fell backwards. He scowled. _Leave it up to her to make him look like a fool._

"Hey Katie! Fancy seeing you here!" He grinned, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Her green eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in my garden? Planning to set up some traps? Or maybe turning my strawberries neon yellow again?" She crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

"No hello? I just came back to Camp!" He asked, pretending to be shocked. "I'm hurt that you would think so lowly of me." He tried not to get distracted by the new pair of earrings she wore. They happened to be a very nice shade of purple, bringing out her green eyes.

"Just stay away from my strawberries, will you? If you know what's good for you." The last part gave him shivers that ran down his spine. He unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair, remembering a certain unpleasant week involving roses sprouting from his head and a swarm of angry bees chasing him. Katie smirked at him, giving him a knowing look. Sheesh that woman can be scary. Almost as scary as Annabeth. And that was saying a lot.

"Hey Katie! I have a present for ya! Catch!" He threw the watch into the air. She yelped and managed to somehow catch the object before it crashed into the muddy ground.

"A watch? Is this some kind of prank?"

"Nope!" He smirked, "I, er, acquired it from when I was away."

"Don't tell me you stole this!" Her eyes widened before letting out a groan. "What if you get caught?"

"Me? Get caught? My father would disown me before that happened … But to be truthful… I may have sort of _accidentally_ took it off a business man. Come to think of it, he looked vaguely familiar."

Katie just snarled, "You idiot! Take it back! Give this back to the man and apologise!"

"Does that mean I have to give this back as well?" He waved the rather large wallet in her face. She growled and snatched it out of his hands. She flipped it opened and her eyes scanned the content before she let out a screech of disbelief.

"You stole from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!?"

"Of course I did- Wait what?" his jaw dropped open. Katie collapsed on to her knees, too horror-struck to stand. Her brown hair fell gently around her shoulders. The stolen items slipped out of her grasp and fell into the dirt.

"This… this is awesome!" Travis crowed. "I'm gonna tell Connor! He's going to be so jealous! I'll be back!" He bent down and scooped up the expensive watch and wallet from the ground and rushed off to find his brother, leaving the poor girl stunned in the middle of the strawberry patch.

* * *

 **AN - Hey guys! Sorry this one was so short. I'm currently writing the AUs so I decided to post this short one rather than nothing at all. Hope you liked it either way. Leave a comment with any ideas you might have. Every review means so much to me.**

 **The prompt was,** _ **"What do you mean you accidentally pick pocketed the president?!"**_

 **Okay, until next time, be happy and stay safe.**


	4. Differences in Kisses

**Differences in kisses - Explained by Percy Jackson**

* * *

"You did WHAT!?" Annabeth growled, looking murderous. She whirled around and turned to look Percy, arms crossed. They were surrounded by their friends, who stood next to them awkwardly, realising that this was a bad time to be near the couple. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, because Percy swore he saw flames burning in those gray eyes. Sometimes he thought he was immune to her glares, but when those sharp, intelligent eyes locked onto his, he knew he was screwed. Big time. He hid the shivers which ran down his spine while he stood his ground, and faced her looking frustrated.

"Seriously Annabeth? Rachel _kissed_ me" Percy said with a withering look. "Besides, it was before we were dating. It didn't mean anything to me! It was totally platonic."

"Wow Percy, that's a big word. Are you sure you even know what it means?" she said sarcastically. Her usually sweet voice was oddly laced with deadly venom. Percy didn't understand what the big deal was. It was just a kiss. He decided that girls were slightly too confusing to understand. _Women - The Biggest Unsolved Mystery to Mankind._

"Wise Girl, I know some words…"

Annabeth laughed, "Tell me, Percy, is there even a _platonic_ way to kiss someone?"

"Certainly Wise Girl. Watch." Percy smirked. Finally a chance to prove her wrong. He grabbed an unsuspecting Piper by the wrist and surprised everyone by kissing her fully on the lips. Piper's eyes widened and she let out a squeak of protest. She sprang apart quickly and battered his hand away, trying to hide the smallest hint of a blush. "That was platonic" he announced, oblivious to the gobsmacked stares he was receiving. Especially how Jason had his hands in clenched in a fist. Or the way Annabeth seemed to glow dangerously, like what a pissed off goddess would normally do. He was unaware that there were two people planning his murder, standing no less than two metres away from him.

Percy then spun around and shoved his girlfriend into the wall despite her protests, and crushed his lips against her soft ones. He ran his fingers through her blonde hair while his other arm wrapped around her waist. He pulled her close to him, and her shirt rode up, exposing a section of her side. Percy took advantage of that and traced mindless patterns on her skin with his fingers. Everyone else in the room turned red. Hazel fanned herself with her hand and awkwardly turned away while Frank hurriedly averted his eyes from the…er…scene. Percy held the kiss until a low moan escaped her lips, much to her embarrassment.

Percy smirked and kissed her jawline. He then planted a series of butterfly kisses, leading up to the side of her face.

"That was romantic…" he breathed in her ear. She shivered at his low voice and before she knew it, she had wrapped her arms around his neck. He let his lips dance across her rosy cheeks, towards her mouth again. He leaned towards her, and he saw how her eyes followed his lips and he grinned. Percy then took a step back from Annabeth and bit back the chuckle that was threatening to escape him. "Can you see the difference? There was a slight change in terms of romanticness wasn't there?"

Annabeth, her face flushed, stood there with a slightly dazed expression on her face, not being able to form a coherent sentence, "Mmmm…Whatever you say Seaweed Brain."

He watched her try to regain her composure (and her dignity) with a smug look on his face. It wasn't everyday he managed to render her speechless. And he knew that the deeply earned satisfaction wouldn't last long, so he enjoyed it as long as possible. He laughed and threw his arms around her and brought her close to him again, in a silent apology.

"Love you Wise Girl," he teased his girlfriend.

"You're such a dork."

After his impromptu demonstration, nobody questioned Percy's knowledge about kisses _or_ his kissing skills.

* * *

 **AN - Something short I came up with. I forgot what the original prompt was, but here it is! They probably were out of character, but I had too much fun with this to care. So please tell me if you liked this and leave a prompt if you have one. I hope you enjoyed this.**

 **Until next time, be safe and stay positive.**


	5. We Come Crashing Down

**_TW - Mentions of death and slightly depressing thoughts (not too much though)_**

* * *

 **Sometimes We Come Crashing Down**

She pounded on the unmoving doors.

 _" I left my necklace!"_

Her hand slammed against the door.

 _She waved, "I'll be really quick. You guys go ahead."_

"SOMEONE HELP!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the small space.

 _Laughing at what the others said, she jogged back the way she came from._

She brought her shaking hands to her face and buried them into her palms, hiding her eyes from the harsh truth. The harsh reality.

 _Opening the door to her room, she scanned for the piece of jewellery that her father once gave her ._

She stumbled backwards and her back hit the opposite wall, her legs buckling underneath her and she fell. She collapsed into a pitiful mess, tears rolling down her cheeks.

 _"There you are." She muttered, picking up the item from the table._

Tanned fingers clenched the necklace, her knuckles turning white.

 _Rushing out of the room, she paused at the stairway._

She gritted her teeth. She had survived monster attacks, life-threatening quests and a war, but she was going to die in here. It was like a sick joke. It couldn't be happening.

 _'Screw it,' she thought, 'I'll take the lift.'_

Maybe the Goddess of Luck was in a bad mood today. She wouldn't be surprised at all, to be honest.

 _She tapped her foot while waiting for the lift to come to her level._

If it was anybody else in this situation, they would have been able to get out by now.

 _Patience was never her forte, it made her ADHD act up too much._

A small tear trickled down her face. Her end was coming. She could feel it. Every breath she took, her end ticked nearer.

 _The lift finally arrived. She hopped on, surprised to find it empty._

If only she didn't take the lift. If only she didn't go back to get her necklace. If only… So many thought ran through her mind. A sob caught in her throat.

 _The metallic doors slid shut behind her._

With an anguished scream, she threw the jewellery. It fell onto the ground in a lifeless heap.

 _She felt herself slowly descend to the ground floor._

Hands pounded against the floor while she hysterically cried out.

 _The small room shuddered and the lights suddenly flickered off, leaving her in darkness. The lift came to a halt._

She stopped immediately when she heard the lift groan. Her heart hammered in her chest.

 _Sighing, she pressed the button to go down. Nothing. She tried again._

If she was Annabeth, she would have analysed everything with a critical eye and found the solution immediately.

 _She frowned and called out. "Hello? Hello? Anyone?"_

If she was Leo, she would have been able to fix it in record speed. Even install a hotdog machine while she was at it.

 _She became slightly more frantic. "Hello? Help! I'm in here! Anyone!"_

If she was Frank, she would have turned into a large animal, maybe a bear and ripped open the doors.

 _She pounded on the unmoving doors._

If she was Hazel, she would have shadowed travelled away back to her friends.

 _Her hand slammed against the door._

If she was Jason, her sweet Jason, then she would have used the air to make the lift fall down slower and at a non-lethal speed.

 _"SOMEONE HELP!" she screamed._

The lift shook much stronger. She closed her eyes and prayed to the gods. Prayed for an easy and quick death. If she didn't die from a panic attack now, she certainly was going to die from the impact.

If she was Percy, she would just create a water bubble around herself and she wouldn't have to worry about the impact. Too easy.

What did she have that would save her? Nothing. Pathetic really. Charmspeak her way out? What good will it do? She doubted the door was going to open, even if she asked nicely. The fates would just laugh at her feeble attempt. She had nothing. She could awaken a supposedly inactive dragon, yet she couldn't get herself out of an elevator. Was she really that useless? Maybe she was a burden to everyone. Maybe they only kept her around because she could make things do what she wanted.

She remembered Annabeth telling her once how she felt almost left out that she was the only one without super magic powers. She reassured Annabeth that she was the reason why nobody died and that it should be considered a super power.

She had heard about how people had died in these situations. The room she and Jason shared was near the top and she had only travelled down about a floor down before it stopped. She knew that there were at least still five floors to go.

She let out a bitter laugh. What she really needed now was a mind that worked. Or a mechanic's brain.

Sniffing, she rested her head against the wall and looked upwards. Her luck had run out. She heard the faint whispers of a countdown in the back of her head. Death was right there. She swallowed. This was it, wasn't it. This was the end, she knew that now. It was inevitable. With a sigh, she accepted her fate.

Piper wiped her tears away and gave a strained smile. She knew no one would hear her, yet she wanted to say it. If this was going to be her last words, then so be it. She would use her very last breath if it meant she could utter the words. So with a broken whimper, she murmured to herself and to everyone, "I love you all. And I'm sorry."

There was an ear-splitting screech and she was free-falling.

Piper was gone.

* * *

 **AN - I think there was supposed to be a point to this, but I think I lost it… in the first sentence. I don't really know how this happened. One moment I was thinking about how the Seven have cool demigod powers, and the next second, I was wondering if everyone would survive in situations like this. I know it was probably unrealistic, but I wanted to write something like this…**

 **Please review if you enjoyed it and point out any mistakes I may have made. Also, if you have a prompt, please feel free to leave them in a comment! Till next time, take care!**


	6. Hi! Is something burning?

**Hi! Is something burning?**

* * *

Percy couldn't wait until he could collapse onto his couch. He was tired. He had been moving into his new apartment, carrying boxes up five flights of stairs and unpacking. Even with the help of his cousins, Thalia and Jason, it took impossibly long.

So the twenty four year old trudged up the stairs and kicked open his door and placed the very last box in his room, before letting out an exhausted cheer. He tried not to look at the boxes that were waiting to be unpacked and instead, he manoeuvred his way into the living room and flopped onto his slightly worn out couch. Face first into the leather, he closed his eyes and sighed, his arm hanging off the edge.

Just then, his stomach rumbled. He grimaced. He hadn't eaten anything since lunch, and glancing at his phone, he realised it was already seven in the evening. He really didn't want to move from the comfort of his couch, but if he wanted to actually satisfy his hunger, he would have to get up.

Percy rolled over and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes before making up his mind. He would order pizza instead of digging through his near empty fridge. Humming to himself, he called the nearest pizzeria and ordered two large pizzas, deciding that he would keep the leftovers for tomorrow. Now he just had to wait patiently for his food to arrive.

He had twenty minutes to kill.

Percy got off the couch and made his way over to his room, and picked up his suitcase which contained his clothes. He rummaged through his bag until he found a decent shirt and pants before heading down to the bathroom.

He flicked the lights on, and blinked rapidly as the light blinded him momentarily. He stripped off his clothes and hopped into the shower, relaxing under the warm water. Under the heated water, his tense and sore shoulder muscles loosened. Washing away the sweat and grime from that day, he began singing his rendition of Disney songs (out of tune). Not that he could tell. Finally, he came out, wiping himself down and pulled on a pair of clean pants and walked out into his living room as he slipped a singlet over his head.

And that's when he smelt it.

He froze, a towel in one hand and the phone in the other, and began to scan his apartment for the source of smell. Something was burning. He knew when something was burning, courtesy of spending too much time with Leo. Leo was a walking fire hazard. Percy remembered one time when they were making breakfast, Leo had managed to set fire to their toast. Which wasn't actually in the toaster. To this day, Percy still doesn't know how Leo had done it.

Shaking his head to rid of the thoughts, Percy ran into the kitchen, his heart beating rapidly. He was sure he didn't leave anything turned on or left a candle burning. He didn't even own candles.

That's when he heard it. The shrill of an alarm sounding from behind the wall.

His neighbour.

Now normally, when he hears a fire alarm, he would assume that it was an accident, but judging by the amount of smoke he could detect, he knew this wasn't the case. Without thinking, he raced through his apartment and tore his front door open, and skidded to a halt at his neighbour's door.

"Hey! Is everything okay!" he called, knocking on the door. From beyond the door, he could make out the faint sound of someone shrieking and a crash. Percy's eyes widened and pounded harder, "Hello? Do you need help!"

The door was wrenched open and he was met with a girl with golden blonde hair which seemed to have fallen out of a ponytail. "You have to help me!" She cried, grasping his wrist and pulling him inside.

He hurried after her, noticing the smoke wafting from the kitchen. He pushed past her and his eyes were immediately drawn to the frying pan which was producing black smoke. Whatever was being cooked, was now burnt. He turned the stove off and backed away from the small flame, opening her cupboards, searching for something.

"Open the windows!" Percy yelled over the piercing fire alarm. The girl nodded quickly and rushed around the flat, throwing the windows wide open. He ran to the sink and filled a large saucepan with water. While the pan was filling up, he turned to the girl, who had frozen in the dining room with a look of terror, and cried out, "Do something!"

She was staring at him with wide eyes and shook his head, "I-I can't"

"What do you mean you can't! This is your kitchen!" Percy hollered back. The alarm continued to screech. He turned the tap off and poured the cold water onto the flame. The pan hissed dangerously but the flame died quickly, allowing him to let out the breath he was holding. He placed the pan onto the sink and leaned against the bench in relief.

With the windows open, the smoke disappeared after a minute and the alarm stopped.

Percy looked up and gave the woman a half smile, "You alright?"

She was still in the dining area, inching away from the table and towards the opposite wall. She let out a squeak, "U-Um yes! Thank you!" Her eyes were trained at something above his head. "Just great!"

He frowned and glanced around, "What's wrong? Something bothering you?"

"Um… since you're already here…" she started, never taking her eyes off the spot on the wall, "could you please get rid of that… that thing? Please?"

Percy blinked at her before following her finger and being greeted by a small spider. "Do you want me to… get rid of that spider?"

"Yes please. That… that monster came into my house while I was cooking! Get it out!" she hissed the last part. Percy bit back a chuckle and grabbed a container and hopped onto the marble bench top. Carefully, he reached upwards and trapped the spider underneath the container.

"Could you get me a piece of cardboard or something?" he asked, turning his face slightly. The woman composed herself, with the knowledge that the eight legged creature was hidden from sight. She ran off and came back moments later with a ripped piece of cardboard from an empty cereal box.

"Thanks," he grinned and slid the cardboard under the container. He then hopped down from the bench and carefully walked outside.

"Make sure you kill it!" She warned, hiding behind the safety of the door. Rolling his eyes, he squished the small spider and faced her with an amused look.

"Is that everything?" Percy asked, raising an eyebrow.

She stepped away from the door and blushed, unconsciously smoothing her hair down. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

"Nah it's all good. How did the fire start anyway?" He was curious.

She bit her lip, "Um I was frying eggs when I saw that… thing. I freaked out and then I tried to kill it. But then it crawled towards me and I panicked, so I ran to my kitchen table, only to realise that I left the stove on."

Percy laughed, "Oh my god. You ran away because of a spider?"

"I'm scared of them." She muttered defensively. "Anyway, the spider was in between the stove and I, and I wasn't going to go anywhere near that thing. Just at that moment, the eggs start to burn, and I'm on top of my table. The smoke starts erupting from the pan and I didn't think it could get any worse. But it did. The fire alarm goes off. So I'm on the table, screaming at the spider to get lost while my dinner burns in the kitchen and there's this loud, high pitched ringing to top it off."

"Is that when I come over to help? Percy asked, chuckling.

"Yeah. That spider then crawled away, but it climbed up onto the wall. Glad I made the decision to open the door for you. Thank you, by the way."

"That's alright. I'm just happy that you weren't hurt."

"Thanks for helping. I didn't catch your name though…"

"Percy Jackson. I just moved in today. I'm your new neighbour." He put his hand in front of him.

The girl blushed again, "Oh god, that is so embarrassing. I'm Annabeth Chase. That was a horrible first meeting." She placed her hand into his and they shook.

"Well Annabeth, I just ordered pizza, so if you want, you could join me. I know we just met, but your dinner is ashes now." Percy offered. Annabeth looked at him, startled.

"Um… I mean I would love to but I don't want to burden you-"

"Geez Annabeth, it's fine. I want to get to know you, since you're my neighbour. You made me come out of my house, which is an impressive feat in itself. The least you could do is have dinner with me." He winked.

She sighed but a smile made its way onto her face, "If that's okay with you… Let me get changed though. These smell like smoke." With that, she walked back inside and began to close the door, but she paused in the doorway and tilted her head to the side as she glanced at him, "See you in ten minutes?"

"Sure. Just beware that my place is currently filled with boxes." Percy said, running a hand through his damp hair.

"That's fine." Annabeth replied, and the door shut with a click, leaving Percy standing outside her flat with a silly grin on his face. He was going to have a dinner (date) with one, very attractive neighbour. Percy couldn't believe his luck.

* * *

 **AN - Hello again! This one was based on a prompt I saw on Tumblr. It went something along the lines of, "** _ **Hi we're neighbours and I smelt burning! Here, let me help you…"**_ **I didn't know how to end it but oh well. Hope you liked it. Please leave any prompts for me in the reviews!**

 **I would also like to thank everyone who has reviewed and favourited/followed this. It means so much to me! Also to the silent guests, I thank you for reading this story.**

 **Till next time!**


	7. Coffee, Distractions and a Girl

**Coffee, Distractions and a Girl**

The sky darkened outside. The splashes of orange, pink and gold became hues of purples and blues. The lights inside flickered on, illuminating the cosy shop.

It was his first time here, but in the past couple of hours, he had grown to like it. It had comfortable chairs and the coffee tasted surprisingly good. The staff were easy-going and the atmosphere was lively. He decided that he might come back here again.

Through the window, he could see the people rush past, wearing their tight business suits and clutching at their overly large brief cases. They walked past, oblivious to the people around them, and were stuck in their own little world. In the café however, he was safe from the noise of traffic and the sound of hundreds of feet pounding on the pavement.

The twenty year old gave his coffee a stir with a disinterested look. In front of him, the light from his laptop shone on to his face, reflecting the thesis he was currently writing. Next to the laptop, his notebook was open, showing the world his hastily scribbled notes. He sighed heavily and rubbed his hands across his tired eyes, and leaned against the cushioned chair.

A chime sounded and he glanced up, watching the new customers make their way inside. It was a mother, holding onto the hand of an overly-enthusiastic boy, most likely to be her son. The little boy was bouncing up and down, pointing gleefully to the display of cakes. Percy took a sip of coffee and winced when he realised his drink was no longer warm. He placed his cup down and began typing again.

It was about ten minutes later when he pushed his laptop away, muttering words which would have made his mother frown and smack the backside of his head. He let his eyes wonder around the shop.

On his immediate left, there was a couple that were chatting quietly between themselves, sharing a slice of chocolate cake, while one his right, the booth was empty. He let his gaze extend further, until it rested on a lone figure who was seated in the corner. He didn't know why he couldn't take his eyes off of her. For all he knew, she could have been a model. She had blonde hair which glowed under the café lights and she wore a simple shirt and a blue scarf which was hugged her neck.

He shook his head and tore his gaze from her. _Don't get distracted._ He pulled his laptop back to him and began furiously typing, trying to block out the girl from his mind. With more force than necessary, he grabbed his coffee cup and gulped his cold drink, and placed the empty cup on the table.

Two minutes. In two minutes, he had managed to write a sentence, consisting of the words, blonde, beautiful and breathtaking. It would have been fine, but it had nothing to do with his essay about Ocean Conservation. Just a small, minor problem which had to be addressed.

Percy groaned and his head dropped to the table, trying to knock some sense into himself.

 _Ow.._

He massaged his forehead, while unconsciously turning to face her. From where he was seated, he could see that she was reading a very large and impressive book. The book was thick, something he thought was only possible in movies. His brain almost melted in fear.

He squinted in an attempt to read the title, which became an impossible task. Was it possible to have writing that small? He raised an eyebrow and tried to figure out what she was doing. Maybe she was studying. If she was, he didn't want to interrupt her. Or perhaps she was reading for _fun_. He shivered at the thought. Who in their right mind would even think of that? Why would anyone want to _read_ in their spare time?

Forcing himself to look away, he shifted his attention to the thesis at hand. And stared at it blankly. _What was he doing again?_

Percy slammed his laptop shut with a huff and gathered his notebook. He shoved them into one hand, while the other sought out the empty cup and stood up abruptly. The couple next to him raised an eyebrow at him in annoyance but said nothing.

He stared at her. (Observed. Stared just makes it sound creepy.) She was reading her book, frowning every so often and writing something down into her notebook. Upon closer inspection, he could tell that they were in fact, sketches, rather than words. Small thumbnail sketches of buildings.

"Um… can I help you?" She asked, looking up from her book.

He blinked at her. It was then that he realised he was standing in front of her table, watching her. Since when did his legs have a mind of its own? His face flushed bright red. "Sorry. Um… Yeah… I don't…" Oh god, he was making himself looking like an utter fool (more than usual). He didn't actually mean to approach her, let alone talk to her.

She just raised an eyebrow at him.

Cursing internally, his hold on his laptop tightened. "Um. Would you like me to get you a drink?" It was the first thing that came to his mind.

The girl awkwardly brought her drink to her lips.

So she already had a drink. Great. Fantastic. "Oh. Right. Sorry." Did fate have something against him today? "So, um, what are you reading? It looks… impressive"

"… It's a book about architecture…" She said, tilting her book to allow him to see the title.

"Oh that's pretty cool. Um…" He was so bad at this. He was the most socially awkward person to ever exist. "Can I just ask you a question? I won't bother you after that."

With a small sigh, she placed a silver book mark in her book before snapping it shut. "If you're going to ask me about my phone number, you can forget it." She picked up her book and stood up, the coffee cup in her other hand. She began to walk away.

"Wait that's not-" Percy cursed and went after her, throwing his rubbish in the bin as he went. He followed her outside, where he was greeted to the noise of traffic. The sweet smell of coffee and cakes soon mingled with the pollution of the outside world.

"Hey wait! Please!" he cried out, rushing after her. He struggled to pull the strap of his laptop bag over his shoulder. After a few moments of swearing, jogging and shoving people out the way, he finally caught up with her. "I just wanted to ask if you would be here tomorrow."

The girl looked at him with a confused face. "What?"

"I don't want your number… well maybe someday in the future… but I just wanted to know if you were a regular at that café."

Her walking pace slowed down a bit, allowing him to comfortably walk next to her.

"Oh. Well… yeah… I may be there tomorrow." She said after a while.

"So do you think I can get you a drink tomorrow then?" He wondered with a cheeky grin.

"Maybe. You'll probably find me there in the afternoon."

Percy was internally screaming in excitement but all he said was, "Alright then. My name is Percy, by the way."

Pink spread across her cheeks as she gazed at him, "Well Percy, I look forward to the drink. See you around." With a small wave, she weaved her way through the sea of people and disappeared from sight.

He held onto his bag with a stupid smile plastered on his face. Although she never told him her name, he was intrigued by her. She was composed, seemingly smart and was very attractive. Hopefully she would come tomorrow. Fingers crossed that he would be able to keep an interesting conversation going. Though knowing his luck, he would probably end up spilling his drink all over her books, but one can always hope. And pray.

As he made his way back to his apartment, he decided that he was definitely coming back to that small cosy café.

* * *

 **AN - Oh my gods. It has been way too long. I'm so sorry. I've just had assessments and exams piled up on me and I was slowly drowning in work. And I, being a great and normal human being, procrastinated right until the end. So this is probably crap but I wanted to put something out for now. I have no idea when the next one will be up, but keep a look out!**

 **Please leave me a review, as they make me very happy and make my day a whole lot better. And if you have any suggestions, please let me know in a comment below! Thanks for reading and I'll see you soon. Until next time.**


	8. Apologies

**Apologies**

Dear Mr President,

I am sincerely writing this letter to apologise for my unacceptable behaviour. I am deeply sorry for stealing (admiring) your wallet. And your watch. I am sorry that I could not control myself. But it was just so shiny, and I just had to inspect it, you see.

However, it seems that you might not share the same views as I do, so I apologise for any inconveniences I may have caused. I will try to refrain myself from taking other people's belongings, (no promises though) and I will attempt to have better self control.

If I had known that I was stealing (borrowing) from you, Mr President, then… actually, I don't know what I would have done. I probably would have asked for an autograph, (and possibly look after your watch for a while. It is beautiful, by the way.) I do hope that this will not damage our close bond we share. It would be rather a shame otherwise.

I just wanted to ask you something, sir, if that was okay. What would you do if there was an annoying girl that was glaring at you and threatening you to smash your brain out with a shovel? Not that I was hinting that there was a girl holding a shovel in front of me or anything. But I would like to know if there was any advise as to how I could deal with this situation. Any answers you are willing to give will be appreciated. It turns out that she does not approve of my actions or behaviours. (I think she is still mad at me for putting hair dye in her shampoo. The neon green only lasted for about a week, so I have no idea why she would be so upset.)

Anyway, I should stop writing soon, since my hand is getting quite sore (I have never been forced to write an apology letter before) and my brain is about to melt. The pain of dyslexia . I will (try) not to bother you anymore, so please forgive me. I would hate to end up on the Wanted List. If you are going to hunt me down, please contact me so I can supply a good selfie for the posters. I don't really like the photos they use. The quality and the lighting isn't great. That would be very much appreciated.

Please forgive my actions, and I hope you are not too cross with me for 'taking' your belongings. I have included the items in the package.

Sincerely,

T.S

(I don't really want to put my full name, just in case this very important letter falls into the wrong hands.)

P.S. I have included some other items that some people might want back. I was wondering if you could return these to their correct owners? If not, you can always send it back, I don't mind. It's just an iPhone I took from someone from the royal family and a passport from a business man. I think he might have been from the British Government actually. (Or _is_ the British Government. One or the other.)

 **AN - Hello again! This one is based on one of my earlier stories. One of the lovely guests left a suggestion and it inspired me to do this (sorry it's not exactly the same as your prompt…) . I hope you all liked it. Also, please tell me one of you got that reference at the end…**

 _ **Question time - Have any of you ever lost something or had something expensive stolen?**_

I know I lost a pair of expensive earrings in a swimming pool and I almost left behind my phone at the shops. It's really depressing how much I fail at life…

 **Anyway, until next time, bye!**


	9. Your Average Picnic Date

**AN – This is a writing prompt challenge, using only dialogue. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Average Picnic Date**

"Annabeth? What do I do? He's been there all day."

"What are you talking about?"

"See that guy over there? Under the tree?"

"Be a bit more specific. Please. We are in a park. Surrounded by people. _And_ surrounded by trees."

"Oh shut up…. Um, that tree over there. With the blue flowers."

"Yeah… I see the man. What about him?"

"He's been standing there since we got here."

"Maybe he's just waiting for someone. A date probably."

"But Annabeth! He's been there for three and a half hours!"

"She's just running late. Like you are usually."

"I am never late! Besides that was one time!"

"Five times."

" It wasn't my fault I got ambushed by Hellhounds."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"So mean Wise Girl."

"Can I read my book now?"

"Not yet. Did you know he was staring at us?"

"… What?"

"That guy. He was staring at us the whole time."

"Please tell me you're joking. He's just enjoying the view."

"He better not be watching you. That creep. You're _mine_."

"I meant the scenery, Seaweed Brain."

"I doubt a picnic table is more interesting than the pond behind him."

"He can look at whatever he wants to."

"But I mean there's ducks in that pond. _That's_ interesting, right?"

"…"

"… Do you think he's a monster?"

"I really hope not. This was supposed to be my day off."

"I know that. I'm glad I get to spend time with you."

"That's nice Percy. Do you think you could let me finish this chapter?"

"When I said I'm glad to spend time with you, I didn't mean you reading the whole time."

"Should I start ignoring you or are you going to let me read?"

"… Fine…"

"Thank you. Such a gentleman."

"…"

"… Why are you tapping me?"

"…"

"What is it Percy!"

"He disappeared, Annabeth."

"That's good. He probably got sick and tired of you judging him."

"…"

"What is it now? And stop poking me!"

"He's at the fountain now. Like, he just appeared there."

"Did you consider the possibility that he may be fast?"

"No one can move that fast in a blink of an eye."

"…"

"Annie… He's _much_ closer now…"

"Don't call me Annie."

"I swear I just saw a tail. Oh my gods. He has a freakin' tail. And bat wings."

"Just a costume."

"We're gonna die!"

"Pull yourself together, Percy. You can't just go stabbing mortals. It's not polite."

"But… but…"

"No."

"Not even a little tiny jab?"

"NO! No get your ass back down this instant!"

"But he's holding a spear!"

"…"

"See?"

"I did not agree to go on a picnic with you, just to be interrupted by a monster in disguise."

"So you admit he's a monster? I was right, wasn't I? I _told_ you that it was a monster!"

"He'll just go away. And stop dancing around. You look ridiculous."

"…"

"NO! Percy put your sword away! The mortals are going to think you're some kind of terrorist!"

"What if he turns into a giant spider?"

"Would you like to reconsider what you just said?"

"I'm just saying."

"…"

"Don't give me that look… Can you put that coke down… No! No Annabeth! Don't pour my blue coke out! I'm sorry! Gah! Annie! Have mercy!"

"Don't call me Annie!"

"Sorry Ma'am."

"… See? That _monster_ of yours went away. He probably wasn't even a monster. Just a normal human being in a costume."

"Uh… Wise Girl?"

"Argh, what is it now?"

"… He's actually hiding behind a tree. About seven, no six trees away."

"This is getting ridiculous. Pass me that apple will you?"

"What are you going to do? Throw it at him? Cause if you are, I want to watch."

"No. I'm not going to throw it at that guy. I am going to eat it."

" I think that guy is stalking us- Hey where did he go?"

"Your stupidity drove him away."

"I'm hurt."

"And the amount of care I give…"

"…Um. What was that noise?"

"…"

"It sounded like tree branches snapping."

"…"

"…"

"Can you stop throwing leaves at me Percy?"

"I'm not."

"I _said_ can you st- Oh. Then who is?"

"…"

"That… _monster_ of yours…"

"He's right above us, isn't he."

"I think so."

"Oh god, he's uglier than I thought! Can I please kill-"

"Hiiyyyyaaaaa!"

"…"

"What? He was interrupting my picnic date with you. Don't give me that look Percy."

"You threw a knife at him…"

"That's what you do when there are monsters that try to kill you…"

"And then you pegged him, with my coke can."

"Your point is?"

"My… My coke! How could you! I thought you loved me…"

"Sacrifices were needed to be made."

"You are one heartless- I mean… Badass girlfriend."

"Thank you, Percy. Such a sweetheart."

"Do you think you can put that knife down? Away from my coke?"

"No."

"Please? It's making me uncomfortable. You might accidentally stab another of my coke cans…"

"…"

"You wouldn't."

"I really would. I will slit your coke cans and force you to watch them bleed to their death if you don't let me finish this chapter."

"Alright, alright. Shutting up now."

"…"

"…"

"Annie… There's a spider crawling towards you!"

"Gahhh!"

"ARRGGHHHH!"

"Kill it! Kill it!"

"You just stabbed my Coke!"

"Kill it before I kill you!"

"You murdered my baby!"

" Hurry! Hur- NO! DON'T USE MY BOOK!"

"What am I SUPPOSED to use?!"

"I don't know! What about your shoe- ARGHH! Percy! It's crawling faster!"

"My shoe?! Oh for the love of Poseidon… THERE! The deed is done."

"Thanks Percy."

"…"

"…"

"…."

"… I'm sorry about your coke… I didn't mean to actually destroy it."

"It doesn't matter."

"Don't be mad at me…"

"…I'm not mad…"

"I'll get you another one… I promise…"

"You can't just replace a baby."

"What if I got pizza. How does that sound?"

"Oh… I guess that's okay..."

"You're too cute sometimes."

"Just sometimes?"

"Yes. Only sometimes."

"I think you look flawless every day."

"Thanks Seaweed Brain."

"It's the truth. Hey you wanna go back to my place soon?"

"Well I guess it is getting dark…"

"We can have that pizza you promised and maybe watch a movie."

"As long as it's not Finding Nemo."

"Aww come on! That movie is so cool!"

"No. We watched it five times already."

"You are being really mean today. Are you finding this amusing?"

"We can watch another Disney movie if we have to."

"Really? You're the best Annabeth!"

"Don't kiss me just after you've eaten! Its disgus- No Percy! Percy! Stay back!"

"I can't hear you! Come here Annie! I wanna give you a kiss!"

"PERCY! Stop laughing! Stop it! That tickles!"

"Love you!"

"Get off me y-mmpphhh!"

"Gotcha!"

"…"

"Ah crap. Time to go!"

"Get back here you little-"

* * *

 **AN - The prompt was, 'Write a scene only using dialogue, starting with the line, "** _ **What do I do? He's been there all day.**_ **"' It was pretty fun to write. Reviews and criticism are welcome.**

 **If you have any prompts, please feel free to leave them in a review and I will gladly use them in future fics.**

 **Until next time.**


	10. Distant Memories

**Distant Memories**

 _"…To this day, I wait for you. I wait for you, because I love you. I don't think I will ever stop loving you. It's sad, since you won't remember me. As I watch your retreating back for the last time, I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from running after you. I want to run after you and tackle you to a hug and kiss you and tell you that you mean the world to me. But I can't and I won't. Because I love you too much._

 _I just wished that I could have told you how I felt about you, rather than dance around the question , pretending that everything was going to be okay. Because it's not._

 _If I ever see you again, just know that I never forgot about all of the times we spent together, all the memories we created and all of those special moments we shared. If I ever see you again, I hope you will remember me. I know it's selfish, but I just pray that you can return my feelings._

 _Happy endings don't exist, only in fairy tales, so I won't hold my breath._

 _But a girl can dream. So in the hopes that you can find me again, just like you promised - I love you. Please come back home…."_

Annabeth Chase sat at the desk, her hand starting to cramp. It was a routine she had gotten used to. Who wouldn't, if they were repeating the same procedure for the past three hours. A person would come up, she would smile at them, they would give them their book and she would sign it, usually followed by a photo. It was tedious. Her face was beginning to ache from smiling.

Don't get her wrong, she was very appreciative and overwhelmed by the support she was receiving, but she could handle only so much. She never knew writing those memories would get noticed, let alone become a best-selling book.

In countless interviews, she would be asked how or where she got her inspiration from, and she would tell them that she based it on events in her life. It wasn't the exact truth, but it was close enough. She wasn't going to announce to the world that it was about her previous life. That would cause too much trouble for her.

It wasn't unnatural to remember events that happened in your previous life. Especially about your soul mate. In fact, it was common to remember small details about your soul mate. Some remembered the other's name or the place they first met or even their place of death. Annabeth just happened to know more about her past life than the average person.

But she didn't want to tell anyone that. She didn't want anyone to know that her entire book was based on how she and her soul mate were forced to part, never seeing the other again. She remembered that vividly. The way tears fell down her face or the way he tried to fake a smile, promising to meet each other again. His words echoed in her mind.

It was his parting words that stuck in her mind. She could never get away from them, always haunting her. It was his words that forced her to write it all down, to the best of her ability. His promise to meet her again motivated her to relive that bittersweet life. She wrote down every detail she remembered, whether it was how his eyes always lit up when he saw candy or the way his laugh could brighten her day. She wrote it all down, not wanting to forget him. Her angel.

She shook her head at those fond memories and called over the next person in line. The girl had curly brown hair and a permanent blush on her cheeks as she eagerly placed the book in front of her.

"Hi!" the girl blurted out excitedly, "I just wanted to say, you are an amazing writer and that I wish I can be as good as you! You are my inspiration and I wanted to thank you for making my life so much better!"

"I'm glad I helped you in some way. I'm sure one day you'll write something amazing. I'll make sure to buy a copy when the time comes," Annabeth replied with a smile. It was a standard response to a statement like that. She hid a chuckle as the girl practically bubbled with happiness and she flipped to the title page. She scribbled down her signature in a black pen. "Here you go! Thank you for reading!"

"Thank you so much! I'm so happy I got to meet you!" With that, the girl skipped away, and the next in line moved forward.

She missed him. Which was ridiculous since the last she saw him was about seventy six years ago, not that she was counting or anything. It wasn't their fault they were forced to leave each other. The war needed him. So he had to go. But she had wanted him to stay. She remembered crying and begging him to stay with her. She remembered sobbing in his chest as he told her the news. But the pain wasn't as strong as the moment when she found out he had died in battle.

Looking back, she wondered why she never confessed her undying love for him. Then again, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. He would have still left, and it would have made leaving even harder than it already was. But what would have happened if she had kissed him. When they were both holding each other in front of the fireplace, what would have happened if she had let go of everything and listened to her heart and kissed him. She often wondered how differently things might have gone. She might have not regretted so much of her life if she had just done it. Just pressed her lips against his and tell him that he meant so much to her.

But she hadn't, and she had missed out. He had died and she never told him about how she had felt. Years and years of regret and anger and a dull pain in her heart.

She was an idiot.

Annabeth glanced at her watch and suppressed a sigh. She still had another half an hour before her break. She took a sip from her drink bottle and waved the next fan over. It wasn't so much she hated the books signing, it was more that the atmosphere was tense. The crowds were loud and there were a couple of people who were too demanding. It wasn't fair to make a judgement because there were a few rude customers, but she never enjoyed being surrounded by people.

She massaged her hand while a couple walked on over. She still had twenty minutes to go. And by that time, she was getting quite sick of seeing the splash of green colour on the front cover. Every time she saw the colour, a small fraction of her mind would conjure an image of the most beautiful pair of eyes, the shade that not even ink could create.

Another book was placed in front of her and she flicked through the pages, her fingers already working to find the right page. Her eyes scanned the familiar title, _Distant Memories_ , and a little fragment of her heart cracked. The tip of her pen touched the page and it glided across the paper, in an elegant fashion. She was just about to return the book when she noticed something written on the next page. Curious, she flicked over and she was met with the printed words of her dedication, _In the hopes you will find me again, just like you promised, I dedicate this book to you._ Usually, she would read that accidentally and try to block out the tsunami of emotions that threatened to knock her off her feet, but instead, her eyes were drawn to the messy handwriting underneath that sentence. Few simple words were enough to take her breath away.

She read and reread the phrase three times before fully processing the words.

" _I'm sorry I took so long, Annabeth. But a promise is a promise, right? I told you I would find you again."_

Her heart jumped into her throat and she dropped her pen and jerked her head upwards, meeting the stranger's gaze. The same eyes. The same smirk. And his voice…

"Hey… Long time, no see…" he said with a small smile. Oh god his voice. His voice was deeper than she remembered. But that was to be expected from a twenty five year-old man. However, he had the same tone of playfulness he had all those years ago. Annabeth couldn't breathe. He was there, standing in front of her.

She sat frozen, disbelief written across her face. "P-Percy?" Her voice was weak, barely audible, not wanting to sound too hopeful.

"I just wanted to say, I love you. And I wished that I could have told you that before I left." His black, messy hair fell across his forehead as he dropped his gaze from hers.

Her heart pounded and she slowly rose from the table, hands shaking. "Is that actually you… After all this time, is that really you?"

"Who else would ever call you Wise Girl?"

Her legs almost gave way at the sound of her old nickname. The book signing forgotten, she stood up to full height and stared at him. Her gray eyes explored every inch of his face, memorising his features. "Percy.. Oh god I missed you!"she whispered, tearing up at the end. He opened his mouth to reply but she reached over and grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him close, crashing her throbbing lips against his. He let out a surprised squeak but she felt a hand cup her cheek. She kissed him, tasting the saltiness of his lips. It only lasted a couple of moments before Annabeth pulled away, her eyes shut and her heart beating rapidly.

" I love you…" she murmured, tears trickling down her face.

"I know," Percy stroked her cheek with his thumb and attempted a smile, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I took forever to find you again. I only remembered your name and nothing else. You always told me I had a bad memory."

"But you're here…"

"I read your book and everything came back to me. Oh god Annabeth, I'm so sorry…"

Annabeth took a shuddering breath and shook her head, "It's okay… I just missed you so much! I just… I just wished I told you that I loved you..." Words poured out of her mouth, none of them making any sense.

Percy just shushed her and he threaded his fingers into her hair, gently combing through her blonde locks. She quivered in his arms, her hold on his shirt never loosening. She was terrified that he might disappear if she even thought about letting go. She tried to keep it in, she really did. But years of pent up emotions came flooding out at his touch. She sobbed into his shoulder and her muffled cries wracked her body.

"Please don't leave me again…" she sniffed. He rubbed her back reassuringly.

"I promise, Wise Girl."

She pulled away from his slowly, tears staining her face and her eyes flickered with new found hope. She gazed at him, with adoration and she finally let the corners of her mouth tilt upwards, offering him a shaky smile. Her bottom lip trembled.

"Stay with me, Percy."

"I'm home again, Annabeth. I would never leave." He planted his lips on her forehead and she swallowed thickly. "Although, I should move. I'm holding up the line."

It was then she remembered about the book signing. Her eyes snapped open to see many confused and gawking faces peering at them. She blushed and cursed herself for breaking down in front of her audience, but as she looked at his face again, she found herself not caring. She let go of his shirt and let her hand slide down his arm to take his hand.

"Come behind the table. Can you wait until I finish? Please?" Annabeth murmured. Percy let out a small chuckle and nodded. He squeezed her hand in reassurance and hopped around to the other side of the table. He twisted his head around and his face lit up at the sight of a stool. He sat down, giving her an encouraging grin and waved at her to get on with the signing. In response, she bit her lip and tentatively smiled back, wiping the tears away with a tissue.

Annabeth took a deep breath before putting up a brave face and sitting back down in front of her fans. Sniffing slightly, she announced, "Sorry everyone, for making you wait." She took another couple of breaths to calm down and continued, "I just met someone… special again…"

She could hardly concentrate. She ignored the whispers and the stares she received and forced herself to keep signing books for another fifteen minutes. The redness in her eyes disappeared after a few minutes and her smiles became much more genuine. But she couldn't keep her mind focused. Every time she finished signing a book, her eyes would flicker back to where he sat, and he would give her a smirk or a grin or an eye roll.

And for the first time in many years, she had a reason to smile, a reason to be happy.

 _"…Happy endings don't exist, only in fairy tales, so I won't hold my breath._

 _But a girl can dream. So in the hopes that you can find me again, just like you promised - I love you. Please come back home…."_

 **AN - Aaaannnndddd cut.**

 **I have no idea where this came from, but it wasn't too bad (I think). I hope you enjoyed this one and if you did, please leave a comment below telling me which part you liked the best. Also please tell me if there is something I should edit or need clarifying. The very first part in this story is basically the ending to Annabeth's "book", in case anyone was wondering.**

 _ **Question time - What is your favourite book and have you been lucky enough to meet the author?**_

 **Until next time, bye!**


	11. Therapeutic Combing

**TW - Mentions of PTSD**

* * *

 **Therapeutic Combing**

Under the harsh glare, Nico gulped and sank back onto the bed, his hand slowly reaching out for the blanket that lay discarded next to him. Without breaking eye contact with her, he pulled the warm fabric across his legs and huffed.

"I don't see the point-" Nico started but was immediately cut of as Reyna growled and climbed onto the bed, almost knocking him off in the process. She ignored his squawks of protests and placed herself firmly behind the small boy, resting her hands on his tense shoulders.

"I want to, okay?" She muttered stiffly, unconsciously rubbing her thumbs in circles, trying to release the tension. After a few moments, he gradually relaxed , his eyes fluttering close against his will, letting out a small sigh of content.

Reyna then gently ran her fingers through his long, black hair, which brushed down to his shoulders. She brought out a comb and carefully untangled the knots.

Again and again, she brought the comb down, relishing the way his silky hair fell against his head. It was hypnotising, really. Again and again, she brushed at his hair. Once in a while, she would pause and let her fingers play with the dark locks, her eyes glazing over as she stared blankly at a spot on the wall. She wanted the screams to stop. Why were they so loud? She cupped her hands over her ears, and prayed that they would stop.

The room was silent.

She took measured breaths to match his. Slow and steady.

 _In and out._

 _In and out._

Sometimes Reyna would stop her actions for a second longer than usual and a reassuring hand would rest on her knee. She would blink and shake her head to rid the thoughts, and murmur her thanks. And she would continue combing his hair. She didn't want to think about the dark thoughts haunting her. She didn't want to think about the nightmares that kept her awake.

 _In and out._

She didn't like the voices whispering in her ears. She wanted them gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. She silently begged and cried for the murmurs to disappear.

Calming fingers drew across her leg, and the voices drowned out as she focused on the way his fingers glided and waltzed down her skin. She shivered and a flicker of a smile appeared when he unknowingly brushed past a sensitive spot on her leg, drawing out giggles. And she would forget about the dark whispers in her mind.

And she continued brushing his hair.

 _In…. Out…._

 _In… Out…_

It was okay. Everything would be okay.

Reyna shifted her position so that she was balanced on her knees. With the extra height, she placed the comb on the bed and instead, used her fingers to gather up his hair at the back of his head. She smoothed out the bumps and carefully looped the hair tie around, before pulling the ends outwards to tighten it. Delicate fingers ran down his head, like a final dance, until her arms circled around his small frame.

Nico, blinking out of his daze, gave a tentative smile at the girl wrapped around him, and leaned back into her. They sat in a comfortable silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"Thank you, Nico." Reyna mumbled.

"It's alright, Reyna. " He whispered back. They broke apart and he shyly lifted his hands to touch his hair, a look of admiration crossed his face. "Soft."

Reyna laughed, nudging him with her shoulder. Happiness shone in her eyes and he allowed a grin to grace his lips.

In the distance, a horn sounded.

"Come on, little brother, dinner awaits."

Nico considered crossing his arms and muttering out a little, 'make me', but he remembered the last time he had made such a remark and pink coloured his cheeks. She had smirked and hoisted him over her shoulder and marched towards the Dining Pavilion, much to his sheer embarrassment and horror. So he hastily agreed and followed the (scary) girl out the cabin door.

But he didn't mind too much.

They didn't mind at all.

They stood outside, breathing in the fresh air and absorbing the warm sunlight. They were soon joined by their friends, and together, they all made their way towards the Pavilion. They were okay.

 _In… Out…._

 _In… out…_

Everything would be alright, in the end at least.

* * *

 **AN - And Cut.**

 **Well, um, hi?**

 **Been a while. Sorry about that. I don't really have the best excuse, but I was going through some tough times and I needed a break from everything. Plus, school was a mess. So here is something I came up with and wrote in one go. Just a bit of Reyna/Nico platonic fluff and a post-war recovery drabble.**

 **Sorry it's a mess but it can't be helped.**

 **If you liked it, please review and comment on what I could improve on. Once again, if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave it below, and I'll be happy to write it.**

 **Until next time, stay safe. Make sure to take care of yourself.**


	12. Conceal the Past

**TW -** **Implications of child abuse**

* * *

 **Conceal the Past**

Piper burst through the door, her leg slightly raised as if she had kicked the door open. Her crazed eyes searched the room, before letting out a frantic cry.

"Do either of you know how to use makeup!" Piper almost yelled. She stormed over to where they sat and dramatically dropped a small bag of what looked like expensive make up products on to the bed.

"Um, Piper, you're the Aphrodite kid here…" Percy said with a raised eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean I know how to use it!" she screeched. He winced at the desperate shrill in her voice.

Annabeth shifted on the floor and Percy scowled, burying his head back into her lap. "What's wrong?" She asked Piper, "And breathe."

The girl nodded and took a deep breath and calmed herself. "I have a dinner with my dad, and he asked me to introduce him to Jason."

"Well that's not too bad, is it?" she asked timidly.

Percy nodded his head in agreement, and let out a muffled, "I'm sure your dad will be happy with Jason."

Piper waved her hand, brushing off their comments, "Yeah, I'm sure that's okay. But the thing is…" she trailed off, her face burning as she glared at the ground, "Jason left a few hickeys on my neck."

He snorted while Annabeth hid a chuckle at the poor girl.

"And my dad wants me to wear this particular dress which exposes my neck!" Piper finished with a groan. So much for trying to keep her dignity intact. She glowered further as Percy continued to laugh.

"When is this dinner of yours?" Annabeth questioned, lightly slapping her boyfriend to shut up.

The child of Aphrodite sank onto the bed and covered her face with her hands, "My dad is picking me up in half an hour." She mumbled something else which sounded like ' _I'm so screwed'_.

"Can't your siblings help you?" Percy frowned.

Piper shook her head and sighed. "I sort of got upset at them yesterday. Besides, they're training right now."

Silence soon followed.

Finally, Percy sighed and crawled out of Annabeth's hold. He stalked over to where his friend sat and he dropped down besides her on the bed. "Show me."

Startled, Piper glanced up and opened her mouth to retort but she faltered at his expression. It was almost, _pained_. So she pulled back her hair and angled her neck, biting her lip as colour rushed up to her cheeks again.

Delicate fingers traced the red marks and she was almost tempted to ask what he thought he was doing until he exhaled loudly and said, "Where's that bag."

She faced him, her eyebrows knitted together and stared at him.

"I'll cover it for you. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"You sure you know what you're doing, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth called out, snickering slightly.

"More than you, Wise Girl." He replied with a smirk.

"The makeup is in this bag." Piper said, reaching over and dragging the bag from the handles. "Knock yourself out."

Percy hummed as he pulled out different bottles, brushes and powders, ignoring the incredulous looks he was receiving. "Green… green… where is the green…" He grumbled under his breath.

Piper blinked in confusion, "Green? What?"

He paused and looked up, meeting her eyes, " I'm using concealer with a green base which helps to offset the redness of the bruise." When he saw that she looked at him blankly, he quickly added, "Sorry. Um. Green cancels out red… "

She let out a nervous giggle and nodded, "Okay then."

He shot her a grin and cracked open the lid. His smile faltered and he took in a sharp intake of breath, eyes glazing over. Piper peered at him, alarmed at the sudden reaction.

"You alright Percy?" she questioned but received no answer. Instead, his hand shook slightly, the bottle threatening to fall. She tried again, "Percy? Percy?"

"S-Sorry." Percy breathed, blinking owlishly. He stared at her, confusion flickering in both pairs of eyes. "What was I…?"

"Concealer?" the brunette prompted.

"The concealer… Oh yeah…" He said airily, clutching the bottle, his hand no longer shaking. Tipping the concealer onto the back of his hand, he searched for a makeup sponge that he could use. When he found one that he liked, he dipped the sponge in the liquid and carefully dabbed the green at her neck, his tongue sticking from the corner of his mouth in concentration. She was surprised at the light touches and the level of precision shown from the usually hyperactive boy."Right. So now that's done, we have to put foundation on. Which foundation do you usually use?"

Piper laughed, "I don't wear makeup. But I do remember Lacy telling me that there was this particular one that matched my skin tone. Here…" Piper rummaged through the bag before pulling out two identical foundation jars. She squinted at the numbers until she finally identified the correct one and handed it to Percy.

"Thanks Pipes. Well… we just have to apply a layer." He gently put some foundation onto his finger before patting down onto the area. He leaned backwards and examined his work. He cocked his head and added a bit more to where the larger bruise lay hidden and nodded in satisfaction. "Okay that's not too bad. We now just have to set it with powder."

Wordlessly, Piper handed him the pink container and he smiled. He opened the lid and pulled out the small brush. Mindful to not let the powder fall onto their clothes, he dusted the translucent powder over the marks.

"And you're done." Percy grinned, handing the powder back to her. "You might want to keep applying the powder once or twice during the dinner, just to make sure."

"That's it? You did it? Let me see." Piper gaped in shock. She hurriedly snatched up the mirror and inspected her neck, her eyes wide with surprise. "Thank you so much!" She threw her arms around him, who in turn nearly fell off the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and gave a tight laugh.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"How did you manage to do that?" Annabeth said.

"Always the tone of surprise." Percy muttered cheekily.

Piper nodded, frowning slightly, "How did you know what to do?"

He recoiled at the question but managed to form the words, "I learnt to do it a while back. Don't worry about it."

Annabeth blinked at the response, "Why would you have to…"

Percy smiled softly and murmured, "Well you know… I got into fights and I didn't want my mum to worry."

An uncomfortable silence fell. He fidgeted under the calculating look of his girlfriend and the narrowed eyes of Piper.

Finally, he looked away and said, "Don't you have to go now, Piper?"

The Beauty Queen jumped and cursed. "Shit. You're right. I have to go get changed." She leaped off the bed and shovelled all the expensive products back into the bag. "Thanks Percy. You're the best."

"Good luck, Pipes." Percy called after her as she raced out the door.

"Have fun!" Annabeth yelled. His girlfriend turned around and faced him, arms on hips, while he determinedly looked everywhere but her. "Explain."

"Annabeth…"

"No Percy. Tell me. How do you know how to cover a bruise so well?"

"I told you already," he protested, searching her gray eyes, "I got into fights when I was little. I didn't want to scare my mum. I don't do it now, because I know I'm a demigod and mum expects the occasional scrapes and bruises."

She sighed, rubbing her arms, as if comforting herself. "Are you sure-"

"I'm fine Annabeth. Just leave it." Percy interrupted, standing up. He didn't know where the sudden burst of anger came from. He took a few calming breaths when he saw a look of hurt flash across her face. "Look, I'm sorry. But I don't want to talk about it. It's just… you know…" He trailed off with a fragile look.

She searched his face and swallowed thickly, "You can tell me anything, Percy. I'm your best friend."

"I know… I know…" He covered his face with his hands, "I got over it. It was years ago. Don't worry. I'm fine now… It's in the past… I'm safe…" Percy began mumbling under his breath, words lost to her ears.

Frowning, she reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm. The son of Poseidon flinched and jolted out of his daze, bringing his arms over his head, his eyes squeezed shut. Her hand hovered outstretched in the air.

After a few tense seconds, Percy opened his eyes and froze when they made eye contact. Neither of them spoke a word, too shocked to do anything.

He let out a small whimper before dropping his arms to his sides, as if horrified at his own actions. "I'm sorry…" he brokenly whispered and stumbled out of the room.

Annabeth was left alone in the room. The quiet breeze wafted in, dancing around her legs. But all she could see was the look of panic that crossed his face when she touched him. She glanced at her hand and felt her insides churn. This was wrong. So very wrong. Suddenly the room became too small, too closed off, suffocating her. Her breathing quickened and her legs became shaky.

Breathing deeply through her nose, she pushed herself forwards and all but staggered out the room, slamming the wooden door shut behind her. She took large gulps of air, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could smell the calming scent of Thalia's Tree, guiding her back to the present.

Forcing herself to calm down, she leaned heavily on the railings, watching her hands grip tightly at the cold metal. When she lifted her head up, she could just make out a figure disappearing behind the line of trees. It was times like these where she cursed her mind for rapidly processing the situation and creating conclusions instantly. This was wrong.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Annabeth slowly made her way down the steps and sighed. If he didn't want to talk, that was fine. She wasn't going to push it. Percy would tell her when he was ready. At least she hoped he would.

The daughter of Athena stalked off to her cabin, leaving the lingering scent of concealer behind her.

* * *

 **AN - And there you go.**

 **Hope you enjoyed this one. This was a bit hard to write, so I hope it was okay.**

 **Please review as that helps me to become a better writer, and if you have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will try my very best to write it for you.**

 **Until next time, stay safe.**


	13. Ash for Stars

**Ash for Stars**

"What will you do when it rains?"

He tried to sound brave, but he was trembling as much as she was. His hair glistened against the dying embers, illuminating his hair in a rich, glowing red. Streaked with dirt and blood, his hair fell in lumps against his forehead, resting above his brows. The yellowed bruise decorated his cheek, the edges lined with vivid purple.

"Think of you." Her voice soft, eyes watching his chest as it rose with every laboured breath.

"Why?" He was equally as soft, peering up at her. His fingers clenched around her wrists, grimacing at the pain. Her hands were pressed firmly against his abdomen, disregarding the hilt protruding from him.

"Because…" she murmured, searching for the answer, "I would think about how the water will never wash away your blood off my hands."

"Good." Smiling faintly, he nodded, "At least you would be safe."

"Don't be ridiculous." Brilliant eyes flashed, anguish shining through the unshed tears. She ran her tainted hand through his hair, observing as he sank deeper into her thighs where he laid his head. "You and I both know I won't be safe."

. . . .

Scorched petals fluttered around them and they froze at the shouts and yells in the distance. The smell of charred bodies wafted towards them through the shattered window, making her gag in disgust.

"We could pretend."

"You wish."

His sickly pale face pouted and for a brief moment, a look of childish innocence flashed over his face and she wondered what could have been if the circumstances had been different. Perhaps they could have been more than just enemies on the battlefield. She reached out and traced his cheek bones down to his jaw with a shaky finger, leaving a trail of smeared blood on the side of his face.

"Just pretend everything will be alright." He whispered hoarsely, eyes locking with hers.

Her heart twisted and thudded in her chest. "Alright," she breathed.

The ash danced mockingly in the breeze.

. . . .

"That was stupid." He commented dryly.

"You fucking asshole." She gritted out, growling as the pain intensified in her shoulder. "If you hadn't been so fucking useless, I wouldn't have gotten shot at!"

"You didn't have to tackle me."

"They were shooting at us, you dumbass."

"And here I thought you wanted me dead."

"Shut the fuck up."

"You have a bad mouth."

"I was shot at, you idiot." She snarled, clenching her eyes shut, clawing at her arm.

He chuckled and mumbled out, "I know."

. . . .

"Why didn't you let me get shot." He asked, breaking the tense silence. It had been a little over an hour since they had last spoken, each in their own little world of pain.

"I don't want you dead."

"But you stabbed me before. Pretty sure that counts as wanting me dead."

"I know." It was a short and simple answer, offering no emotion or further explanation.

They fell back into silence.

. . . .

"It's a shame we can't see the stars."

"I've never seen them. The sky is always covered by the black clouds." She let out a huff of air and lay down next to him.

"The village I came from had this mountain." He told her, "Once every few weeks, I would hike up the mountain and you would come to this spot. The clouds seem to part and you can see these beautiful diamonds in the sky. They would twinkle and it looked like the night sky was something a princess would wear." His voice was soft and he lulled her into a trance with his words. "The sky was black, not like the grey of clouds, but black so deep, so unfathomable, that you could lose yourself in them. But the shining lights would guide you. I never wanted to leave the mountain."

"I wish I could have seen them. They sound magical."

"You would have loved it."

"Maybe tomorrow, you can show me."

The silence returned for they knew tomorrow was as likely as seeing the stars.

. . . .

"I didn't want to be the one to tell them that you were dead." Her mattered hair fell around her in tangles. It wasn't exactly a confession, but she had to tell him. He had to _understand_.

"Your family would have been free." He protested weakly, coughing up blood. His body jerked and his ribs screamed in agony. He spat the blood onto the cracked tiles of the abandoned flower shop they took refuge in.

"But you would have been dead."

"If it meant you would be safe, I would gladly die."

"I couldn't kill you. I never wanted to kill you."

He smiled at her, eyes glazed, ignoring the burning sensation in his abdomen and replied, "I know."

. . . .

"I hate you." She croaked out and let out a half-hearted glare.

He gave her a humourless laugh. "Oh I know." He reached for her and she buried her face into his shoulder and sucked in a shuddering breath. His arm draped over her waist as they lay semi-buried in the debris. "I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear, his breath sending shivers down her neck.

"Don't be. I shouldn't have been so selfish." She mumbled out, "I made you suffer."

"I didn't care. I was with you."

"You're a fucking sap."

"And you love it."

She laughed breathlessly. "Unfortunately, that's the truth."

. . . .

As they held each other, they knew they wouldn't live long enough to greet the sunrise.

. . . .

But somehow they felt content.

. . . .

* * *

 **AN - Hello everybody. This was something small I came up in one night. It's an expansion to one of the scenarios I wrote in** _ **Of Worlds and Meetings.**_ **It's something different.**

 **Please tell me if you enjoyed and feel free to leave any suggestions or criticisms. Until next time, stay safe.**


	14. Snippets of Life - Model and the Manager

**Snippets of Life: The Model and the Manager**

"Silena." The manager stormed into the hotel room and planted herself in front of her. "You can't just say that to the paparazzi!"

"Oh come on Clarisse!" Silena groaned, crossing her arms and meeting her glare, "You heard what that man said to me!"

"You were on camera! Your public image is at stake."

"Who cares about it." The model waved off her concerns.

"I do!" Clarisse threw her arms in the air in exasperated, "You have to be careful."

Silena rolled her eyes. "But that old man was a dick. He deserved it."

Pausing for a moment, the manager sighed, the edges of her mouth twitching. "You were much more controlled than I would have been. I would have said much worse."

"I know."

They glanced at each other before snickering.

. . . . .

"Please refrain from getting crumbs on the bed." Clarisse said drily, without glancing up from her laptop, "The hotel staff don't appreciate the mess you leave behind. And I don't like waking up with ants crawling over me." She leaned into the mound of pillows against the headboard, missing the falter in Silena's actions and the brief look of guilt. The cupcake crumbled in the model's hand as she repositioned herself on Clarisse's bed.

"I'm not!" she protested weakly, brushing the remains of the cupcake onto the floor.

"Of course you aren't." The red head muttered, shaking her head in at her antics, "And I'm the nicest person people will ever meet."

Silena snorted, tossing her black hair over her shoulders.

. . . . .

"It wasn't me!" Silena yelled as soon as she saw her manager's pissed off face appear in the doorway.

"I saw you fucking push him in!"

"It was an accident! I promise."

"How do you explain what I saw? There was this woman standing at the pool ledge and yelling at a man who apparently stole her ice cream and then shoved him into the pool."

"Really?" Silena smirked, "I mean, if someone did steal my ice cream, I would be inclined to do the same. I don't blame that woman you saw. Wouldn't you do exactly that?"

"Not in front of witnesses, idiot!"

. . . . .

"I don't ever want to see you using the fucking toaster, you idiot!" The manager screamed.

"It wasn't my fault!" The model yelled back over the shrill of the fire alarm.

. . . . .

"I thought you were my manager!"

"I am your manager."

"You should be stopping me."

"I really should be stopping you."

"So why aren't you? I prepared a speech and everything to argue my right."

"I am also your friend. And it is my duty as your friend to let you do this."

"That makes sense, I guess."

"Come on, time to fuck shit up."

"You are the best."

"I know."

. . . . .

"Stop sleeping in my bed!"

"It's more comfortable than mine! You always manage to get the better mattress at hotels."

"But it's _my_ bed!"

"You either take my bed or sleep with me."

"Get out."

"Not happening."

. . . . .

Wordlessly, Clarisse handed her friend the tub of ice cream and settled down on the couch. Silena sniffed, rubbing furiously at her eyes, cursing at the tears the continued to fall and nestled against her friend's side.

Clarisse brought her arm over the model's shoulder and rested her hand on her head. With surprising gentleness, she stroked Silena's head, her fingers smoothing out the tangled hair.

"Luke was using me." Silena croaked, burying her head, another onslaught of tears beginning to form.

"He didn't deserve you."

"You were right. He just wanted the fame."

"Don't do this to yourself. You are so much better than him. For now, just cry, eat your ice cream and watch a movie, okay?"

A small whimper and then a nod. "Thank you."

. . . . .

"Stop staring at the photographer, Silena."

Spluttering, the model blushed and stuttered, "Cl-Clarisse! I wasn't staring!"

"You most certainly were. Your face is as red as that lipstick you advertised last week."

Slender fingers were quickly placed over the burning cheeks, hiding her face from the smirking manager. "Shut up." She grumbled.

"I'm sure Beckendorf appreciates the heart eyes."

"Alright, Ms Beauregard, we're set!" The said man called from across the room.

"Be right over, Charlie!" Silena's silky voice replied, glaring at her manager who was silently laughing.

Clarisse stood up and patted the small girl's shoulder, before walking off. "Have fun with _Charlie._ "

. . . . .

"I never want to see you here ever again."

"Please don't say that, Clarisse."

"No. Don't. Don't make it worse."

"Give me one more chance."

"No. That was your last chance at redemption. I never want to see you in my kitchen again."

"It was an accident."

"You nearly burnt my house down."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"That Jackson kid was laughing his ass off the whole time he was hosing the fire out. I never want to see his face or the fire department ever again. So no more cooking on your part."

"That boy was cute."

"You set fire to the microwave. He couldn't believe that it could be done."

"Anything is possible if you try."

"You are banned from the kitchen Silena."

"Fine. You're fired…. Eyyyy get it? Fired? Please don't glare at me like that. It was funny."

"I fucking quit. Find yourself a new manager."

"No don't leave me!"

"Watch me."

. . . . .

"How was your date with Chris?" Silena asked, as soon as her manager stepped into their flat.

"Boring." Clarisse replied, dropping her handbag onto the couch. "He was stuttering and kept fidgeting. It was fucking annoying."

"Aww, he was nervous. That's so cute." The model cooed, sighing happily at whatever imagery she had come up with in her mind.

"He gave me a bunch of roses too." She rolled her eyes, "I hate flowers."

"It was the thought that counts. I'm sure he meant well."

"He spilt his drink on me as well."

"You going to see him again?"

A beat of silence. "Maybe."

. . . . .

"Why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?"

"I saw a cat outside. You have to come see." Silena dragged her friend out of bed and pushed her out the front door.

"It's 3 am. I am going to murder you and then hide your body."

"You're rude."

"Does it look like I care?"

"…And mean."

"You're the one that woke me up this bloody early."

. . . . .

"Chris just asked me to go on another date with him."

A squeal.

"Can you help me?"

An excited nod.

"I'm going to a restaurant tonight."

Another squeal.

. . . . .

"Can you try and behave for once? Do you know how many of your fuck ups I have had to cover for in the past month!" Clarisse growled, her eyes twitching.

Silena innocently looked up, gently blowing onto her freshly painted nails, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

. . . . .

"Since when did we get flowers?" Silena queried, eyeing the fresh arrangements that decorated their dining table.

"A secret admire wanted me to give them to you."

She blushed, stumbling over her words, "R-Really? F-For me?"

"Don't act like you've never received gifts. You're just hoping they're from Beckendorf."

"No I'm not!"

"Liar. But I'm not telling you who they're from."

. . . . .

Clarisse smiled fondly at her flatmate, curled up on the sofa. Her black hair tumbled over the edge and brushed against the carpet floor. She carefully took out the phone that threatened to fall out of her sleeping friend's grasp and deposited it on the table. Silently, she picked up the fallen blanket and draped it over the small frame. Silena shifted into the new warmth and snuggled into the sofa crease, unconsciously hugging the jacket that was four sizes bigger and definitely not as expensive as the designer clothes she was used to wearing.

. . . . .

"I made you some breakfast." Silena announced, leaping onto the bed to wake her manager. Clarisse in turn snarled out curses and vowed to bring her career burning down if she did not let her sleep in.

"It's too early- Did you say you made breakfast." She was suddenly very much awake. Narrowing her eyes, she hissed out, "I thought I banned you from using anything in the kitchen."

Silena waved her concerns away with a manicured hand, "Don't worry boss. I didn't use the stove. Or the microwave. Or the toaster… Or the kettle…" She trailed off sheepishly. "I just made you some cereal. It's basically the only thing I won't burn."

Clarisse just blinked and sighed. "You're impossible."

. . . . .

"Stop waking me up in the middle of the night!"

"There are _two_ cats this time!"

. . . . .

"That is the single best and nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Silena's eyes were shining, happiness radiating from the model.

Clarisse fought back a smirk and placed on a neutral face. "Anything for you."

"Can I film you the next time you smash a chair over a guy?"

"If there are no witnesses." The manager acknowledged the request with a nod. The pair walked off, leaving the pervert in the dust with the remains of a plastic chair shattered around him.

. . . . .

"Charlie gave me these flowers. He's such a gentleman." Silena sighed dreamily.

"He's a dork."

"An adorable dork."

"You disgust me sometimes."

. . . . .

"Have you considered murder?"

"Well, yes. I do every time I see the flash of the camera from the paparazzi."

"That's a bit worrying."

"But it would be kinda cool, just stabbing someone with my stilettos."

"It's scary watching someone with such a pretty face discuss murder so casually."

"I aim to surprise."

"The public doesn't know you at all. You're just brainwashing them into thinking you're some kind of innocent fairy."

"Your words wound me."

. . . . .

"I think I broke him."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing! I just kissed him."

"That's interesting. Never realised boys had such a weakness."

. . . . .

"Silena, come on!" Clarisse hissed, shaking her flatmate. "Wake up."

"Whaa? What's going on?" A sleepy voice murmured in the dark. "Wha's the time…"

"Nevermind that. Come on. You have to see this."

"Why? Where are we- Oh god it's cold outside!"

"Stop complaining! Look!" Clarisse whispered, pointing at the small cardboard box.

Silena huddled closer to her friend before peering inside. "There's nothi- Oh!" She squealed, turning her face in excitement, "There's _kittens_."

"I knew you would want to see them." She gave her a rare grin and they both crouched down, watching the newborns.

"We should let them in our house. It's cold outside."

"Alright, Princess. Why don't you make them a bed inside and I'll get them a blanket to move them inside with."

"You're the best." Silena exclaimed, throwing her arms over her friend and hugging her tightly. After a few moments of shock, Clarisse's expression changed into a soft smile and wrapped her arms around her.

. . . . .

* * *

 **AN - Hello again. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was just a bit fun. Probably out of character, but I like to think I had some parts of their personality the correct. I might write some more at a later date, if you want me to. Feel free to leave any dialogue prompts or sayings that you think I could use.**

 **Anyway, until next time, stay safe!**


	15. She

**She**

 _Am I allowed to look at her like that?_ But I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. Not when she was smiling to herself, humming a faint tune that carried through my window. Her frizzy curls was drawn back from her dark face, coils dancing around her shoulders as swayed in time with her song. I could recognise the soft murmuring of Latin, and I closed my eyes at her melodious voice.

It was probably wrong, but she was just so _nice_ to look at. The way her golden eyes lit up like the stars when she carefully tended to her daffodils, or when her pink lips parted slightly in concentration as she gently pulled out the weeds from the flower pots. I was hypnotised by how the sun reflected and bounced off of her curls and her soft voice as she cooed at a baby bird. Everything about her was beautiful and it was wrong _not_ to appreciate it.

I wouldn't ever say it to her, of course. She and I were too different. She was like the sunshine, radiating happiness, seemingly glowing. The way she made people feel lighter with her laugh, I couldn't help but to be drawn to her. She was beautiful yet ethereal, someone I had never come across before.

There were flowers in her golden brown locks, simple white daisies adorned her head like an iridescent crown. I wanted to call out and tell her that she takes my breath away with her effortless beauty, but I couldn't. I couldn't explain it. I knew deep down I would never have something so _pure_ , so _innocent_ , to call mine and it ached me to not be able to tell her. But it felt oddly good to hurt.

I was nothing compared to her. She spent her time bathed in the light, surrounded by her kingdom of flowers, while I was inside, consumed by the darkness. She was untouchable but so delicate. I would never be able to bring myself to come close to her, for I feared I would taint her light.

The setting sun cast its vibrant hues of reds and purples across the sky, painting the blue sky with life. The sheer curtains fluttered in the afternoon breeze, and I stood in front of the window, watching her work her magic in the garden. Smiling gently, she glanced around at the rooftop garden, placing her spade down and nodded, satisfied with her work.

She faced the sunset, the warm colours dancing on her angelic features, looking as peaceful as ever. I enjoyed the view, holding back a grin as she opened her arms out to embrace the dying sun. Everything about her was pleasing, and it made my heart race and my skin tingle. She turned around and our eyes locked.

Golden eyes widened in surprise but it was quickly replaced by a look of delight. I flushed, realising that I was caught. She skipped towards my window, her wild locks bouncing freely behind her.

"Hi neighbour," she greeted with a blinding smile, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. She was so enthralling, my whole focus was on her. The way she elegantly leaned against my window sill, beaming up at me - it was incredible I was still standing. I was so close to her. Her dark hand was placed next to where my fingers gripped at the ledge, so close but I could never touch.

We weren't technically neighbours. Like hers, if I clambered through the window, my feet would touch the rooftop of the apartment block. Her flat was across from mine, with a sizeable area between us that was converted into a garden, where she spent her free time creating her gorgeous arrangements.

I let out an embarrassing squeak before responding, "Hello Hazel." My cheeks were warm but I didn't care, for the intoxicating scent lingered in the air. She smelt like lemongrass and sleep. I don't know why she reminded me of sleep, but it could be because she was something I didn't want to disturb. Where only in my dreams could she be mine.

I reached out and plucked the fallen daisy from the window sill and carefully leaned forward. I brushed a lock out of her face before sliding the flower into the frizzy curls. We grinned at each other and she traced the petals, giggling her thanks.

Dazed, I watched her talk, happily chatting away about her day. God she was enchanting. I didn't mind admiring her, but only from afar, because at least that way, she wouldn't see how much she affected me or realise how much I loved her. Because even though I was standing in front of her, gazing into her captivating orbs, we could not be more far apart.

"It's getting dark," she said, glancing behind her, "I should get going." The sky was melting into dark purples and greys, with the first hints of stars twinkling through the clouds.

I swallowed back the slight disappointment and chewed my lips. "Stay safe."

"Good night." She turned around, giving me one last smile before hurriedly making her way back to her window. She leaned down, scooping up her bag and heaved her window open. She slipped inside and as she went to close the glass, our eyes found each other again. I blushed as she waved at me, and I watched her back retreat into her house. I let out a heavy sigh, closing my eyes.

.

She meant everything to me.

.

.

But to her, I was nothing at all.

* * *

 **AN - Hello again! I hope you enjoyed this little story. This was inspired by the song 'She', by Dodie Clark (you can find her on YouTube at doddleoddle). I don't know whose perspective this is written from exactly, but I had Reyna or Piper in my mind, but it is totally up to you and how you interpret it. Let me know who you thought it was :)**

 **I liked writing this and I hope you liked reading this as well. Feel free to leave any criticism and prompts for future drabbles/stories. Until next time, stay safe.**


	16. Such Height To See This Sight

**TW - Depression and thoughts of death**

* * *

 **What a height to see such a sight**

"Please don't do this…"

It shouldn't have surprised him. Really, he almost expected someone to stop him. Although he wasn't sure if he wanted to be stopped. The night was still warm, the gentle breeze carrying the faint noise of traffic below. Yellowed lights basked the sidewalks while cars hummed past, oblivious to the interaction occurring above.

"You won't miss me." He murmured, eyes gazing out towards the city, captivated by the sickening beauty. It wasn't much. There wasn't really anything _beautiful_ , but at the same time, he could see the occasional silhouette making their way through the streets, in their own little world. Funny how each person he saw had their own life, their own story, their own voice, unaware that they shared a world with so many others.

"Don't say that. Please come back." The voice was surprisingly even, if not calm, given the circumstances.

He didn't move from his spot, and instead, gently swung his legs back and forth as he balanced on the cold, metal railing. He could feel the rust beneath his thumb and middle fingers as he readjusted his grip on the rail. His palms on the other hand came into contact with the thin layer of paint, which was slowly chipping away with age. A fingernail danced sharply against the bar, unconsciously tapping out two letters. "The view is nice from up here."

Soft footsteps approached him. The first few hesitant, before taking cautious steps and stood beside him. His brown eyes closed momentarily as another warm breeze brushed past, ruffling his bronzed curls . The air felt cool against his sweaty neck, drawing out shivers that ran down his spine.

"You always find the prettiest views."

He remained silent but opened his eyes again, pausing to watch as her dark hair seemingly floated in the air. His gaze was directed back towards the scenery, lights twinkling in the night. There must be a party going on. Loud, joyous shouts and hoots echoed through the luminous streets, the laughter resonating off the concrete walls. From where he was perched, he could make out the small crowd that hobbled and swayed carelessly, causing a few cars to honk in alarm.

"Is there something you want?" He finally asked. He tore his eyes from the city below and glanced over his shoulder. The dark hair had settled back down, while a lone feather refused to submit to gravity. He watched, mesmerised by the feather, as it gracefully spun and twirled in the air. From the dim light cast from behind them, he could distinguish the streaks of gold and blue from the otherwise black feather. A small smile graced his lips.

"I want you to come down." Her voice was quiet, but firm, staring blankly ahead at the flickering glow in the distance. Without turning her head, she reached over and placed a warm hand over his unusually cold one and gave a gentle squeeze. She angled her face so that her kaleidoscopic eyes could wearily study him, before letting her thumb trace meaningless circles on the back of his hand.

"Piper…" It was a whisper, the world barely passed his lips before the wind snatched it away. It was more than a whisper, it was a plea, begging for her to understand his pain. It was an insight to the damage done inside him. Closing his eyes, he managed to say, "I'm not okay."

The warm fingers dancing on his hand paused before resuming its ghostly routine. It helped, in a way. He could focus on her fingers, blocking out the other thoughts and concentrate, grounding himself to the present. The swirls and flicks felt oddly nice. Calming, perhaps. The occasional fingernail gently running down his fingers caused the hairs on his arms to rise and he let out a faint shiver.

"We'll get through this." She murmured, tapping against his hand. Piper watched as he scraped his lower lip with his teeth, biting back the tears that threatened to spill from behind the closed eyes. His brows were furrowed, as he finally pressed his lips together into a thin line. Her eyes travelled across his face and observed in strange fascination at the curls that framed his face, lightly swaying in the wind, grazing against the jagged scar on his cheek bone. Above the collar of his shirt, beads of sweat glistened under the starlight. Her gaze trailed down his arm and came to a stop to where her hand rested on top of his. Carefully, she shifted her hand upwards and clutched at his wrist, conveying her thoughts with her action.

"I don't know about that, Pipes." He took a shuddering breath before exhaling loudly into the night. The air around them was getting cooler. The wind was no longer gentle and calming; it was getting harsher as it brushed past them, almost angrily. He could hear the creak as Piper readjusted herself next to him. The fingers wrapped around his wrist tightened slightly, instinctively. "How do you know?" His voice sounded weak and pathetic to his ears. The sound of the underlying hopelessness and plea was clear, cutting through the swelling hisses of the wind.

"Because we've don't this before, Leo." Piper breathed, searching his face. "Because I'm your friend, and I love you for that. Because you deserve to be happy." Tears prickled at her eyes and she took a few moments to compose herself.

"Happy…" Leo repeated, sounding distant, hollow. He rolled the word around in his mouth before a confused look settled over his face. "I can't remember the last time I was happy. I sometimes wish… I wish I could remember… know what that feels like."

A tear, shimmering in the light, trickled down her cheek before falling onto the corroding rail. "You can be happy." There was a choked back sob. "Let me help you. We can get through this, together. Like old times."

"Old times… You were always there for me, weren't you." It wasn't a question. He mumbled it quietly to himself, with wavering certainty, "Back when we were in school. You stood by me, you _helped_ me get through it. I-I…" Leo trailed off, shifting on the bar so that his body was angled towards her. He blinked owlishly, as if realising for the first time that his friend was actually beside him.

"Of course I helped you. I will always be happy to help you. It was tough," Piper let her fingers dance across his skin again, though this time tracing the faint and scars on his lower arm. She remembered a time when she had sat him down and she had ran her finger over each little line, the small etches in his skin confirming the depth of his internal suffering. But for now, she let her thumb glide over them before returning to the wrist, circling her fingers around once again. "…But you were worth it. You are worth it, Leo. Always."

"Piper?" Leo whispered, his breaths coming out in harsh gasps as he stared blankly at the horizon. His hands clenched the metal while his feet hooked onto the support beams, locking him in place. "Piper… I want to come down now. Please." His voice was impossibly small, child-like in a sense. His arms shook.

"Shhh. Okay, take it easy." She said soothingly, "Take nice deep breaths." Piper took timid steps so she stood behind him, her hand never leaving his wrist. Carefully, she swapped hands, so her arm was no longer across her body. Using her free arm, she circled around his waist and held him, making sure he knew exactly what she was doing. "I've got you Leo. I got you. Now slowly swing your leg over the rail, okay?"

"Okay Piper." He sounded flat, as if all emotion had left him. She had to act quickly, before he let everything go.

"Your leg, Leo. I'm holding you tightly. Shift your weight and lift your leg over." She held her breath as she watched him struggle to move. Silence stretched until he experimentally unhooked his feet, his breath hitching slightly. "I've got you." She reassured him gently.

Leo swallowed thickly. The wind whipped at him, growling as he inched away from the edge, leaning in to the warmth which was his friend. He counted to three before letting out a terrified cry, swinging his leg across him.

His shoe hit the railing. His weight shifted. His eyes widened in horror. He wobbled dangerously, before the arm around his waist tightened, slowly pulling him to safety. "Piper…?" The strangled cry died on his lips, tears rolling down his face. "I don't think I want to die yet…"

"I know." She managed to smile, in a time like this. "Now bring your other foot over."

"Don't let me go."

"I won't. I promise."

Clenching his eyes shut, he twisted his body and threw himself towards her, praying that the momentum would be enough.

And he fell against Piper.

His eyes flew open. Her arms were wrapped around him still and Leo searched her face for any signs of anger through his tear-filled eyes. But all he was greeted with was a watery smile and relief.

Leo's bottom lip trembled.

"I got you, Leo." Piper whispered in his ear, her breath warm against his cold skin. "Breathe."

He crumbled, collapsing on the wet concrete tiles. The arms drew him closer, and he pressed his face into the crook of her shoulder. Tears streamed down his face and sobs wracked his body, but a gentle hand ran through his hair, soothing him.

"Shhh… you're safe now."

Leo clung onto her, like a lifeline, fearing that she would disappear the moment he let go. She was everything that he needed right now in his rare moment of vulnerability.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed there, embraced by the warmth, but he didn't care, and he realised Piper didn't either. They both needed it. They both needed to feel loved, after everything they had been through. It was the perfect opportunity to reflect and remind themselves about the good in the world, or what was left of it.

"Thank you, Piper." Leo finally whispered, his head resting against her. His eyes once again watched as the world below them continued. The lights twinkled and the cars hummed, but he was warm.

"Are you feeling better now?"

He smiled into her hold and nodded carefully, "Yeah. I'm okay."

. . .

Neither commented on the rehearsed lie.

* * *

 **AN - Hello again! This one was slightly dark and I'm not sure how it turned out. Oh well. I hope you liked this one. If you did, let me know! Also, feel free to leave prompts behind for me. Anyway, until next time, stay safe.**


	17. Dust Amongst the Stars

**Dust Amongst The Stars**

Silena was the galaxy and I was a simple comet. She was my darkness, my oblivion, but was she _beautiful_. She was incomprehensible, unfathomable. One couldn't quite understand her for she was far too complex, too intricate to accurately form words to describe her. Words couldn't express her being. She was beyond pretty words that held little value.

I was just a cold being passing by. One among many. Nothing more. And I knew in my soul that I was less.

She was always there, but sometimes, you would look past her. She could be invisible even though you were staring right at her. That was the kind of person she was. She was silent, ethereal, brilliant, and infinite. She was everything and nothing. But when you finally notice her presence… Oh it was incredible. Your stomach drops and your heart pounds in your ears, too loudly for it to be natural. Your breath would hitch and when you gazed into those eyes… Your body whimpers, sending shivers down your spine.

Her eyes were impressively clear, twinkling and dazzling in their molten orbs, like a beacon of hope for all the lost souls of the world. They were captivating, hypnotising even. And it was near impossible to tear your gaze from them. Because after all, if you noticed her existence, you would forever think of her. You would never rest, never sleep, and your dreams will only be enveloped by her very being.

Her smiles told you that she knew all of humanity's secrets, her silent laughs told you of the wonders you would never imagine to experience. She had mindless, passing thoughts that only the true philosophers could attempt to dream of, but it was nothing compared to when she truly _thought_. She could create life with each gentle breath and could end galaxies with even less.

Silena was the universe, while I remained a lonely comet. She was so full of life. Her eyes held the stars and her body held the souls. She was sacred, untouchable but I was in awe. Because in actuality, she was not full of life. She _was_ life. She was the essence of life. She was life and so much more. But she would remain cold, distant, and infinite.

It would be then, you realise to yourself, that you should never have spent so long staring blankly at your feet. It would be a sudden realisation and you knew… you just _knew_ you should have spent more time gazing upwards, drinking in the stardust that danced on her cheeks, and contemplate her existence. About _how_ she exists. Ponder upon her existence and understand that she is timeless. She will not wither nor fade, but only illuminate, glistening in the darkness.

I couldn't understand Silena. I could never bring myself to fully appreciate her complexity. I was afraid that I would get lost along the way, spiralling into the unknown. She was everything and nothing, everywhere and nowhere, beginning and the end. But there is something you should know, and it was that the universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.

She didn't need to make sense to you.

She didn't make sense to anyone but herself, but even then, I doubted she knew just how transcendent she truly was.

I was only a flash of light, a brief moment in time that barely caught her attention. I wasn't sure how or why she saw me. I was nothing compared to her, yet she noticed me. I so desperately wanted her to be mine and hold her attention.

I wanted to be the reason she smiled. I wanted to be the reason she laughed and the reason she sung. But I knew it was hopeless because I knew, everyone knew, that it could never be. She was the reason I lived. I lived for her, and only her.

But in the end, it never mattered.

Silena is my _everything_ but I was just a comet, fading from her sight.

* * *

 **AN - Hello again. I don't know what I was trying to achieve when I wrote this, but here it is; comparing yourself and the one you love to a piece of rock and the infinite universe, respectively.**

 **Feel free to leave me a message telling me what you liked about it and if you have any suggestions or prompts for the future. Until next time, stay safe.**


	18. We Were Once Children: Part One

**TW – Swearing, two people in an argument**

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 **WE WERE ONCE CHILDREN – When we still had each other**

"How many times have I died for you, my _lady_? And you _still_ question my loyalty?" The words were spat at her, eyes flashing. He seethed silently, his glare intense enough to burn through the iron bars that separated them. He sat on the grimy floor of the cell, leaning his back against the wall, rubbing his thumb across his forearm almost methodically.

"You are the enemy of the public." Annabeth replied coldly, turning her head a fraction to glance down at the man. "Therefore, you are my enemy."

"I have died for you! I have laid my life before yours, and you believe that I am your enemy?" He didn't shout or even scream at her, but whispered furiously instead, hatred laced in his voice. A part of her wished he would raise his voice; it would be easier to hate him for it.

She locked eyes and raised an eyebrow, "You betrayed my people. I have no reason to trust you, and I certainly do not need to do so."

"I _betrayed_ you _?"_ In an instant, he pushed himself off the ground and clutched at the bars. "I would _never_ think to betray you! Don't you fucking dare accuse me of committing such treason. You never gave me the chance to explain myself, to defend my name, yet you happily believed whatever the Queen whispered in your ear."

"You admitted that you were the spy," she cut in sharply, grey eyes narrowing. "Cease this nonsense immediately. You know nothing-"

"You were going to have an innocent person executed for something they never did." He let out a harsh laugh, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. "You were once so wise. Oh how the mighty have fallen! You are blinded by the lies."

Annabeth gave a tight smile and her hand inched towards her hip. Her eyes flickered to the white scar running across his neck. That wasn't there the last time she saw him. The last time she had seen him… She swallowed back the bitter taste. It was too long ago. "I was naïve, Percy. I know better now."

His green eyes focused on the hand movement, "Do it." He growled out, clenching his teeth. "Go on, kill me. See if I care." He spread out his arms, gesturing her to stab him, and to finish him. "It won't be the first time you've done it. _Kill me again, my lady_. Make them happy."

"Shut up," she hissed. "You don't understand." The silver blade was aimed directly at his neck.

"Then make me understand. God dammit!" He slammed his fist against the iron bars angrily. "I'm so tired of this Annabeth! Stop feeling so damn sorry for yourself, and act like the warrior you are. You need to open your eyes. You aren't the only one that's hurting."

"I am _trying_!" she snarled back, "But the people want you dead. They believe you to be responsible for the war, especially now that you claimed to be the traitor."

"Did you even know who they were about to have murdered?" Percy suddenly yelled at her. His voice shook as he glared daggers, "Tell me the name of the woman you were about to have killed. Say it. Tell me her fucking name Annabeth."

Taken aback, her arm dropped back to her side, stumbling over her words, trying to come up with an answer. "I… I don't…"

His eyes widened, and he jerked backwards, suddenly repulsed by her presence. His voice hardened as he hissed out words, "Get. Out."

"They never told me-"

"You were going to execute someone, and you didn't know their name. You were going to _murder_ a woman and you _didn't know her fucking name!_ "

"They refused to tell me who the traitor was!"

"Don't call her a fucking traitor, if you wish to keep your tongue." He threatened lowly, "I advise you to go, _my lady_ , before I decide to kill you myself."

She sucked in a breath angrily and stepped back, gripping the knife tightly, "The Queen herself forbade anyone to tell me. I didn't think it mattered, since she obviously was the…" She swallowed thickly, sensing his glare, and continued carefully, "Everyone was convinced this person was the one who committed the crime, so I didn't question it."

Percy gritted his teeth and pulled at his hair, turning his back to her. He rested his head against the wall, his fist clenching at his side. "I don't give a shit about your justification or apology. I did what I could to save her, and only for her." He took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself and ran his scarred hand along the jagged bricks.

"I'm sorry."

"Just go, Annabeth. Leave me alone."

"Percy. Listen to me-"

He whirled around, stalking forward until his forehead was pressed up against the cold bars of the cell. "No. You listen to me. There was a time." He hissed furiously, eyes ablaze. "There was a time when I would have left the whole world for you. I would have fought the world for you." He shook with supressed rage. "I went through Hell to get here, yet you're the one that changed! I don't even know you anymore. You aren't the person I left behind. You aren't the person I cared too much about."

"Don't _lie_ to me!" Annabeth cried back, choking back a sob. "You never cared. If you had, you wouldn't have left. You left my world, Percy. You _left me!_ "

"I had no choice!" He slammed his fist against the corroded metal, ignoring the trickling blood. "I tried, Annabeth. I tried so hard to come back! Believe me. More than anything else in the world, I wanted to come back. But I couldn't leave! Do you honestly think I _wanted_ to leave you?"

She brushed at the tears that fell from her eyes, "I don't know! I don't _know_ anymore." She took a shaky breath, "I waited for you. Do you know how long I waited for you to come home? Do you know how long we searched for? I was so scared, Percy. Your blood was all over that horse. People were convinced you were dead." She twisted the ring on her finger in agitation, "We spent weeks, Percy. Weeks. Even months! I was terrified that we would find you dead-"

"But you didn't! You didn't find me! I was in _hell,_ and you didn't come!" He screamed at her, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the bars tightly, seething. "I begged every goddamn night for you to find me, alright Annabeth? I prayed to every _fucking_ god that I knew of, in hopes that someone would actually come and save me. But no one came. You never came."

Her mind whirled at the new information, creating connections and dismissing old theories. Annabeth's face became pale. Sometimes she hated how quick her mind was. "Don't tell me… Don't tell me you were _there_."

He dropped his head to glare at the ground, his black hair falling to cover his face, and let out a dry laugh. "I wanted to come back, but my desires didn't matter. It didn't mater whether I wanted to come home or not, Annabeth. I physically couldn't. _I physically couldn't come back._ " His body shook as he chuckled silently.

She stepped closer, her knife cluttering to the ground as she reached out to cup his cheeks in her hands. "This isn't funny. Look at me, Percy. Look at me! Tell me it isn't true." The moment her fingers made contact with his skin, he flinched, and he jerked back to look at her, still supressing his laughter.

Annabeth blinked.

Percy wasn't laughing.

He was crying.

"You were there… weren't you…" It wasn't much of a question, but she needed to know the truth. She just didn't want her suspicions to be correct.

He stared at her through his tears, and bitterly muttered "Why would that matter? You never cared."

She sucked in a breath, horror settling in her stomach. "How long? Percy, answer me. How long were you there for?"

He gave her a tired smirk, but all she could see was the haunted look in his eyes. "I don't know." His voice was impossibly soft, cracking with emotion. "But it was too long, Annabeth."

"Percy…" She felt sick. No one deserved to go through that. Especially Percy. Her sweet, beautiful Percy didn't deserve to go through that hell. She reached through the bars again and faltered slightly at the guarded look he gave as he regarded her outstretched hand, so instead, she let her hand fall, loosely clutching at the bar. "Percy… I'm so sorry… You should never have gone through that. I would have come if I had known."

"You didn't know." He murmured. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around himself protectively, his nails digging into his skin at random intervals. His eyes were glazed over. "You didn't know. It's fine. Don't worry about it."

"No. It's not okay. I should have saved you. I should have come-"

"Lady Chase. You have a visitor asking for an audience." A gruff voice called from afar, interrupting them.

Annabeth closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her composure shifting back to the regal stance, and replied curtly, "I will be there momentarily. Please ensure our guest is comfortable." She opened her eyes again, glancing at the man in front of her. Oh how much he had changed. She could barely recognise the childhood friend within this broken man. "I have to go, Percy. But I will be back."

Percy ran his fingers through his black hair and smiled tiredly. "Just go, Annabeth."

A conflicted look crossed her face until she felt something touch her. She looked down to find a trembling hand brush against her own. Carefully, she linked her little finger with his, and in that moment, her breath caught in her throat, and her lungs tightened. How long had it been since either of them touched each other? It had to have been years. It was so long ago. She could faintly remember the very last time she touched him. He was sitting up on his horse, with a silly grin etched on his face. He had said something stupid, and she had swatted his leg as they both shared a laugh. He waved as he bid her farewell. He had promised to come back soon and she had believed him then.

But he never came home.

She shook herself out of her memories and looked at him, drinking in his features. "I'll be back." She said in a whisper, their intertwined tightening at her promise, "It's going to be okay."

"I know." He mumbled. "Go, Annabeth. I won't disappear just yet."

With an unreadable expression on her face, Annabeth stepped back from him, and let their interlocked pinkies unravel, their arms falling limply by their sides. They memorised the other's face before giving each other a tight smile and a nod, a sign of grim acceptance. She took a deep breath and turned around and walked back out towards the light, pausing only to collect her discarded knife. She straightened out the circlet on her head as she left the prison, without so much as a backwards glance.

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 **AN – Hello again. It's been a while since I wrote anything, but I found this half-finished on my computer, so I decided to polish it. It did spiral out of control, but I hope it was fun to read. It definitely was fun to write. I'm thinking of writing another part to this (We Were Once Children), so look forward to that.**

 **If anyone has any suggestions or prompts, please feel free to leave them in the comments. And if there are any mistakes, please let me know, and I'll fix that up.**

 **Until next time, stay safe.**


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